Canadian Wildfire Smoke is Bad for Americans., But U.S. Wildfire Smoke is Also Bad for Canadians, and Ways to Be Protected

 

     No one wants to breathe unhealthy, toxic air. Combustion in its various forms is responsible for particulate matter (PM), which is dangerous to breathe. It does not only matter how big the source is, but where one is relative to it. Sources of PM include wildfires, campfires, bonfires, wood-burning fireplaces, coal-fired power plants, biomass power plants, waste-to-energy power plants, coke plants, industrial combustion processes, diesel-burning transportation, home heating, ships, trains, jets, smoking, and many more. Wildfires can be a major and dominant force. Weather inversions can bring the smoke closer to the ground, where humans have no choice but to breathe it. This happens very often in places like California, where a significant portion of it comes from China and Southeast Asia. California consistently has some of the worst air quality in the U.S., due in no small part to its susceptibility to these weather or heat inversions. Thus, poor air quality events from wildfire smoke require two conditions: fires and a weather inversion to hold the smoke down.

     A few years ago, my car dealer’s repair shop offered a free cabin air filter replacement when Canadian wildfire smoke was present. That is one way we can protect ourselves. Another is simply staying indoors when the air quality is bad due to PM. Vulnerable people might want to wear masks or use home air purifiers. PM pollution can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable people. I wrote a detailed post on PM pollution last August.

     A group of Republican Senators just penned an angry letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, demanding better forest management practices in light of three consecutive years of cross-border Canadian wildfire smoke events. However, sometimes the opposite occurs when smoke from U.S. wildfires impedes Canadian air quality. The letter included the following:

"Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them."

“This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to."

     The pic below shows Vancouver in 2020 under a blanket of U.S. wildfire smoke.

     I don’t know whether Canada could manage its forests better to prevent fires or not. Experts have noted that there are other climate and weather factors that make fire more or less likely. According to an article in Cleveland.com:

“Canada’s forests have always experienced wildfires as part of natural ecosystems, but scientists say today’s fires are increasingly occurring under conditions that allow them to grow larger and burn longer, according to CBS. Warmer temperatures, reduced snowpack, dry vegetation and prolonged drought create landscapes where fires can ignite more easily and become more difficult to contain.”

“Forest management practices, including removing excess vegetation, conducting controlled burns and creating firebreaks, can help reduce wildfire risks in certain areas, USA TODAY reported. But experts say those tools cannot completely prevent large-scale fires, particularly when weather conditions create extreme fire behavior across millions of acres of remote forest.”

     Canada’s fires in recent years have broken records. They did not change their forest management practices that had been sufficient until the more recent fires. Perhaps they should intensify those efforts, but it’s not likely that will solve the problem.

“Scientists and wildfire specialists, however, caution that blaming forest management alone overlooks the broader forces driving today’s fire seasons. They say a combination of climate change, weather patterns, forest conditions and human decisions all contribute to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires.”

     Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno said he would introduce legislation to sanction Canada over the wildfire smoke, and another GOP senator from affected Michigan quipped:

“Unless you want to become the 51st state, learn to manage your forests.”

     I think the proposed sanctions and the rhetoric, including calls to enter Canada and fix the forests for them, are uncalled for, disproportionate, and an insult to our friendly neighbors.

     Moreno called for forest thinning, fuel reduction, prescribed burns, and beefed-up enforcement against arson. I don’t know how much that would help. Some major fires have been started by prescribed burns that got out of control. Detection and enforcement of arson is difficult in any case.

  

 

References:

 

When American Smoke Choked Canada: Some Republican lawmakers have blamed Canada for poor air quality in the United States and said poor forest management is to blame. But Canadians have also inhaled smoke from American wildfires. Ephrat Livni. New York Times. July 17, 2026. When American Smoke Choked Canada - The New York Times

GOP senator to introduce bill to sanction Canada over wildfire smoke. Alexander Bolton. The Hill. July 16, 2026. GOP senator to introduce bill to sanction Canada over wildfire smoke

Canada wildfires are sending smoke across U.S. - but experts say there’s more to the story. Chris Pugh. Cleveland.com. July 17, 2026. Why Canada Wildfires Aren’t Only About Forest Management - syracuse.com

Canada attacked by Republicans over wildfire smoke crossing US border. Tag24 News. July 17, 2026. Canada attacked by Republicans over wildfire smoke crossing US border