Smoke from fires in Canada spreads to northeastern United States, concerns ahead of World Cup final
Smoke from fires in Canada and Minnesota plunged several American metropolises into a thick cloud of pollution on Friday July 17, raising concerns before the World Cup final on Sunday near New York.
Judging this situation “totally unacceptable”Donald Trump attacked the neighboring country, where authorities said more than 200 fires were out of control. Enveloped in a yellowish fog, Detroit (Michigan) was, on Friday evening, the most polluted city in the world, according to the specialized site IQAir, ahead of the capital of the United States, Washington, and Chicago (Illinois). Authorities recommend avoiding staying outside or wearing a mask.
In the New York region, where the match between Spain and Argentina will be played on Sunday, in an open-air stadium, the air quality has improved since Thursday, but remains considered dangerous for people at risk. And, according to the US Weather Service (NWS), the smoke could thicken overnight.
The organizers “monitor closely” the situation, commented Andrew Giuliani, who heads the White House team responsible for organizing the 2026 World Cup, during a press briefing.
Unbreathable air for residents
Peter Mullinax, meteorologist for the NWS, told Agence France-Presse that the winds could maintain hazy skies over the northeastern United States but that forecasts anticipate an improvement. “I don’t think it has as much impact as if you were to play a match today”he assured.
The question for Sunday, according to Joel Dreessen, air quality forecaster for the state of Maryland (east), is what will happen after the storms expected over the weekend. “Some models are starting to show that smoke levels will start to drop”he said.
“We hold Canada responsible for not properly maintaining its forests (…) and the United States finds itself needlessly invaded by dirty, polluted air that is dangerous to health (…)totally unacceptable! »for his part attacked the American president, on his Truth Social platform.
In the states closest to the fires, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin (north), certain areas have recorded, for several days, air quality levels qualified as ” dangerous “pushing residents to wear masks when they go out. In New York, free distributions took place in train stations and libraries.
Chris Carlsten, a professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, says a growing body of research shows that fine particles from wildfires have a greater impact on the lungs, while vehicle-related pollution affects the heart more.
He also notes that paints, plastic and metal can mix with these plumes which gain toxicity as they move, due to a “photochemical aging”. To deal with what is becoming a new reality of North American summers, Mr. Carlsten recommends air filters, for indoor spaces, and wearing a mask outdoors.
Related to climate change
Experts and environmental defenders insist on the link between the multiplication of these episodes and climate change. “Increasingly smoky skies highlight the urgency of a rapid transition to clean energy rather than building new fossil fuel infrastructure”says Paul Mathewson, director of science programs for the organization Clean Wisconsin.
According to the scientist, climate change favors the lengthening of the fire season due to higher temperatures and a reduction in soil humidity. The situation continues to deteriorate in Canada where, according to figures from the Interagency Forest Fire Center, more than 200 fires are out of control, particularly in Ontario (east).
They have not yet caused any casualties in this province, but several isolated villages have been evacuated.
If the season has been much less dramatic so far than in 2023, a record year, the virulence of the fires has worsened considerably over the past week. At the same time, sixteen fires rage in a forest in Minnesota, on the border with Canada.
“Forecasts of unstable weather conditions, changing winds and isolated risks of destructive wind gusts and thunderstorms will pose a challenge to firefighting operations”responded the American Forest Service.
