Trump Blames Canada for Wildfire Smoke, Threatens Tariff Costs

OTTAWA: US President Donald Trump blamed Canada for wildfire smoke spreading across large parts of the United States and said the cost of handling the pollution should be added to existing tariffs on Canadian goods. Heavy smoke from hundreds of fires covered areas from the US Midwest to the Northeast, prompting authorities to advise residents to remain indoors.

Trump said he planned to contact Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to ask what Canada intended to do about the situation, which he described as unacceptable.

In a social media post, the US president accused Canada of failing to properly maintain its forests and said polluted air was unnecessarily entering the United States.

He claimed the recurring smoke was costing the US billions of dollars and said the expense should be added to tariffs currently imposed on Canadian products.

Canada’s Emergency Management and Community Resilience Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the government had invested C$12 billion in forest sustainability and fire prevention since 2020.

She said Canada’s immediate priority was protecting its citizens and keeping affected communities safe. She also highlighted cooperation between the United States and Canada in fighting wildfires on both sides of the border.

Climate experts said rising temperatures and drier forests had contributed to more wildfires in Canada in recent years.

Many of the fires were reported in Ontario, particularly in remote northwestern areas. Around 650,000 acres had burned, compared with 600,000 acres during the same period last year, while thousands of residents had been evacuated.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would purchase 11 new aircraft to help fight the fast-spreading wildfires.

The United States was also experiencing an above-average wildfire year, with 3.7 million acres burned in 2026 compared with a 10-year average of 2.7 million acres.

Source: ARY News