Wildfires are common in Canada’s western territories, but this year the fires spread very quickly across the east of the country, making it the worst start to the fire season ever.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said some 9.4 million acres had already burned, nearly 15 times more than the 10-year average.
“There are 414 fires burning across the country so far, of which 239 are classified as out of control,” he said during a press briefing on Wednesday. The large eastern province of Quebec is one of the hardest hit provinces.
Blair continued: “We have seen continued impacts on the infrastructure of important Quebec, such as the closure of roads and rural areas and the disruption of communications and the threat of high voltage power lines due to the growth of fires. .”
Biden offers his help
US President Joe Biden offered Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a phone call on Wednesday to help put out the “devastating and historic” wildfires raging in Canada, according to the White House.
And the US presidency said in a statement that Biden “has directed his team to provide all federal firefighting capabilities that can quickly help put out the fires affecting Canadian and American communities.”
Hours earlier, the White House called on Americans with health concerns to take appropriate precautions to keep smoke out of Canada’s wildfires, which have reached the east coast of the United States.
“We urge everyone in affected areas to be aware of local conditions. Make sure your neighbors, friends and family are safe,” White House spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said.
As a cloud of thick fog shrouded the US capital, Jean-Pierre said President Biden, 80, was not wearing a mask.
Biden was briefed on the emerging health crisis, which has significantly affected air quality in a number of US cities.
Cloud in New York
A cloud of orange smog enveloped New York, obscuring skyscrapers and forcing residents to wear face masks.
And the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced in a statement received by Agence France-Presse that more than 100 million Americans are covered by warnings linked to the deterioration of air quality following fires in Canada.
The warning covers most of the northeastern United States, from Chicago in the north to Atlanta in the south.
The United States has already sent firefighting personnel and equipment to Canada to help put out the fires.
The Canadian province of Quebec has become a hotspot for wildfires sweeping across much of Canada.
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