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Wildfires in British Columbia: Effects far beyond Canada

Photo: BC Wildfire Service / AFP

The European Union is supporting Canada in the fight against the devastating forest fires with emergency personnel. "Canada has asked for support – and we are responding immediately," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter. "France, Portugal and Spain are offering the help of more than 280 firefighters. More will follow.«

Severe forest fires have been blazing in Canada for weeks. This year, more than 2200 fires have already been registered, and around 3.8 million hectares of forest have burned down. Winds carry the smoke particles to the southern neighbor USA. According to experts, the frequency and severity of wildfires has increased because of the climate crisis.

»These fires affect daily processes, lives and livelihoods«

According to the head of government of the province of Québec, Francois Legault, more than 11,000 people have already been evacuated in the province, with 4000,<> more to follow.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. had sent 600 firefighters and other forces and equipment to Canada to help fight the flames. In a phone call with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden offered "additional support," the White House said.

Trudeau wrote on Twitter that he had thanked Biden for the help of the United States. "These fires affect daily processes, lives and livelihoods," said the Canadian head of government. "We will continue to work – here at home and with partners around the world – to combat climate change and address its impacts."

The smoke from the severe wildfires also led to massive air pollution in numerous cities in the United States. More than a hundred million people in the U.S. were affected by increased health alert levels for air quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told AFP on Wednesday.

Baseball games postponed, musical performances canceled

Air pollution bathed the sky above New York's skyline in yellow, shrouded the Statue of Liberty in smog, led to flight delays and the cancellation of sporting events. Many people put on protective masks again, which were widely used during the corona pandemic.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams called on the population to limit outdoor activities "as much as possible." Today is not the day to train for a marathon." People with respiratory problems, the elderly and children should only stay indoors. Schools remained open, but outdoor activities were cancelled for Wednesday. In Washington, schools also canceled outdoor activities.

The Yankees and Phillies' games in Major League Baseball have been postponed. On Broadway, the performances of "Hamilton" and "Camelot" were canceled on Wednesday. Actress Jodie Comer left a matinee after 10 minutes due to breathing problems. The show continued with an understudy, according to the show's press officers.

According to the EPA, the warnings affected the furthest part of the northeastern United States, extending west to Chicago and south to Atlanta. For those affected, therefore, the warning level orange or higher applies.

Smoke drifts towards Norway

Alert level orange corresponds to air pollution that has a potential impact on the health of sensitive population groups such as the elderly or children. Many major cities, such as New York and Washington, were hit by a higher, red alert on Wednesday, in which air quality is also considered unhealthy for the general population.

The forest fires that have been raging in Canada for weeks are considered the main cause, it said. However, locally emitted pollutant emissions and the weather could also play a role.

In the near future, the people of Norway could also feel the effects. The smoke, which has drifted over Iceland and Greenland, will probably reach Norway on Thursday, said the Norwegian Climate and Environmental Research Institute. However, it is not assumed that the concentration in Norway will be so high that it is harmful to health.

bbr/AFP/AP