Wildfires have destroyed the equivalent of five million soccer fields in Canada since early May. Thousands of firefighters are fighting more than 400 active fires -250 of them out of control- and the most complicated situation is in Quebec, where more than 100 fires are raging and have already forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
The authorities lament the few means of combat and the lack of water, admitting the leader of the provincial government that it will not be possible to stop the destruction of the smallest towns. François Legault has already explained that attention is focused on the administrative region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the weather forecasts are not rosy, with no rain forecast for the next five days.
“That’s what ensures that we have to focus on Abitibi,” Legault explained.
This could be Canada’s worst year for wildfires and more than 1,000 firefighters from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have already arrived in the country. They are joined by hundreds of members of the Armed Forces who are on the ground helping the population.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already told the country to admit that the situation is “very serious” across the country.
So far, 26,000 people have been or will be expelled from the areas where they live, many for smoking, and the Prime Minister himself has already called attention to the warnings for poor air quality.
The most vulnerable people have been prevented from practicing outdoor activities and children do not play in playgrounds, “having to stay indoors.”
The thick layer of smoke from these fires has turned the skies over southern Canada and the northern United States an ocher hue.
In the past few hours, air quality in Toronto has been among the worst in the world, prompting the city’s schools to reduce all outdoor activities, and the same has happened in New York and Washington.
There are images showing the Statue of Liberty and the Capitol surrounded by a yellow haze, and in some parts of New York and Philadelphia, red alerts have been issued for poor air quality.
Authorities warn residents to prepare: the situation will last for several days. In the last 24 hours alone, the air quality in Toronto has been worse than in Lahore, Pakistan.
The one in New York has already been at a level comparable to that of New Delhi, India, and this Wednesday is one of the worst in the world.
Source: TSF
