Tensions between the U.S. and Canada have run high over the past year, largely tied to trade disputes.
President Donald Trump is threatening new tariffs on Canada after wildfire smoke blanketed much of the northern United States, following complaints from lawmakers.
Trump described the smoke as an unwanted intrusion, saying the U.S. is being “invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air,” and blamed Canada’s handling of its forests.
As of Friday, Canadian officials tracked roughly 888 active wildfires nationwide, most burning out of control, with over 190 in Ontario alone. Trump said he plans to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to demand answers, accusing Canada of poorly maintaining its forests and brush.
Canada’s emergency management minister, Eleanor Olszewski, responded that both countries remain in close contact and have a long history of cooperating on wildfire response, pointing to agreements dating back to 1982 and 2025. She said Canada has invested roughly $12 billion in forest sustainability and fire prevention, calling it “a challenge that knows no borders.”
Separately, U.S. lawmakers including John James and John Moolenaar sent an open letter saying their patience has run out, criticizing what they called chronic under investment in forest management and weak enforcement against arson.
However, scientists say the situation is more complex. Dr. Patrick James of the University of Toronto said that “weather doesn’t care about international borders.” Nearly 3 million hectares have burned so far, with hazardous air quality reported in Detroit, Chicago, and several other major U.S. cities.
Tensions between the U.S. and Canada have run high over the past year, largely tied to trade disputes. Trump imposed tariffs on Canada last year despite decades of largely free trade between the two countries, and the two sides have yet to reach a new trade agreement. Meanwhile, air quality monitor IQAir reported that Detroit had the worst air quality in the world.
