Canada’s Raging Wildfires Spreading Toxic Smoke Across USA

Hundreds of uncontrolled fires have been setting massive areas of forests in Canada ablaze threatening critical infrastructure, millions of acres, and dozens of U.S. states. These forest fires began rapidly spreading this month and quickly spread across millions of acres after several instances of lightning strikes and failure to control small fires greatly exacerbated the magnitude of this natural disaster. 

Canadian officials are continuing to expel resources to fight the ongoing fires in the Quebec province. The country has enlisted aid from the United States in an effort to abate the ongoing disaster, although most of the damage has already exacerbated many of those additional resources. The resulting effects from the extreme fires have expelled enormous volumes of toxic gasses and smoke that has since traveled thousands of miles enshrouding many American states in the northeast. 

Canada Fires Wreaking Havoc

Multiple fires began in the Canadian Quebec province earlier this month, and they quickly grew into each other creating massive wildfires that began to rapidly scorch millions of acres of forest. The typical fire season for Canada lasts between May and October, but earlier summer temperatures have made many of the wild grasses and forest lands particularly dry this season creating many areas more prone to fire hazards. 

Many large areas of remote wilderness exist in large provinces like Quebec and that increases the difficulty of fire fighting resources from accessing the fires. More than 400 fires are currently burning across the country and more than 200 are described as being out of control, with the most severe residing in Quebec. 

The rapid growth of the wildfires severely crippled many areas of infrastructure throughout the province including road closures, rural evacuations, telecommunication interruptions, and continued risks to high voltage power lines. This critical infrastructure is experiencing massive shutdowns throughout the country and directly affecting tens-of-thousands of people. More than 100 of those fires are currently under urgent watch as they have grown past their original boundaries and are now posing risk to residents and commercial properties. 

The accumulation of massive forest fires across the country has interrupted people's daily lives, safety, and overall air quality. Canada has reached out to its neighbors in the United States for help and additional resources as the fires must be contained to prevent further damage. U.S. President Biden pledged to help and send aid in any way he can after speaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. President Biden also repeated a resounding warning to many of the northeastern United States as they are currently facing their own challenges in response to the toxic fumes flooding the atmosphere and circulating south from the fires. 

Toxic Fumes Impact Northeast

The scale and duration of the massive forest fires affecting the Canadian wilderness has resulted in an enormous amount of toxic gasses entering the atmosphere. These gasses have continued to spread thousands of miles away from their origins at the fires and now pose significant risks to residents living in the northeastern United States. 

Videos and photos from downtown New York city this past weekend showed the towering skyscrapers in a scene that resembles something like the sunset over the Sahara Desert. Smoke, ash, and toxic chemicals filled the sky over many large cities in New England and the midwest as storm cell systems moved the gasses across the region. 

Health advisories were posted for millions of people residing in these heavily populated metropolitan areas as the thick smoke rapidly took over the sky. Many claimed the smoke burned their eyes, lungs, and left them with lingering chest inflammation. Health officials recommended remaining indoors and limiting time spent outside in direct exposure. Many residents also took up masks and air filtration devices eerily reminiscent of the covid-19 pandemic still lingering in many parts of the world. 

Individuals most likely to be affected by smoke inhalation symptoms include people working outdoors, namely in construction and development industries. Employers are encouraged to provide adequate protections in the form of respiratory protection for their employees as they will be facing increased risks. Other individuals with respiratory disabilities like asthma, emphysema, and autoimmune diseases are also at an increased risk. 

Future Events Imminent 

As climate change continues to impact many regions of the world, extreme forest fire events similar to this one are likely to become more common every year. The effects of climate change are gradual, but incredibly damaging to areas prone to fire hazards. Increased global temperatures can reduce annual moisture reaching the ground creating dry underbrush and vegetation that can easily catch fire and create a situation for rapid expansion of even small forest fires. 

Other effects climate change poses for increased wildfires is the modification of historical weather trends. Many areas in the north are experiencing earlier summer conditions and later falls. The changing seasons affects many of the critical industries previously mentioned and makes accessing necessary firefighting resources more difficult as they are not as readily available outside of the regular fire season.

Industries that respond to environmental emergencies are slowly adapting the the changing climate as they need resources much earlier than previously and they must maintain that level of aid for longer annual periods. Current firefighting efforts are still lacking effectiveness to the ongoing emergencies, even with help from the United States, and officials are working extremely hard to gain control. 

Proposed New Rules for Workplace Protection Against Wildfire Smoke

Not much is known about the true effects wildfire smoke has on outdoor workers, yet many regions are considering installing new rules to protect workers against associated workplace health hazards. Wildfires generate copious amounts of smoke into the atmosphere which can linger and spread far distances affecting many diverse workplace industries, and those that must work outdoors are directly at risk. Certain complications affecting respiratory and cardiovascular systems are known to be caused directly from smoke inhalation, and protections in the new rules will seek to provide for those ailments. 

Many different components have contributed to the new rules and certain regions have been in discussions for multiple years over the specific regulations to be imposed. Lawmakers have been diligently working with environmentalists, scientists, medical professionals, public involvement, and those predominantly affected to develop succinct rules that can protect those at risk. Certain areas more severely affected by climate change, drought, and dry conditions will continue to increase frequency of wildfires posing additional risks for industries and any employee conducting business outdoors. 

Effects of Smoke Exposure

Smoke exposure can invoke a variety of different complications to the human body, particularly affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of those exposed. Wildfire smoke is different from cigarettes or exhaust due to the variety of different gas combinations and particulate matter. The mix of gasses and fine particulates form from burning vegetation, structures, or other materials. Studies suggest breathing in wildfire smoke can have instantaneous effects on anytype of individual, regardless of health. 

Immediate Symptoms

  • Coughing

  • Breathing difficulties 

  • Stingy eyes

  • Dry throat

  • Runny nose

  • Irritated sinuses

  • Wheezing and shortness of breath

  • Chest pain

  • Headache

  • Asthma attacks

  • Tiredness

  • Accelerated heartbeat

Immediate side effects from smoke inhalation can rapidly degrade a person’s ability to effectively work, travel, or participate in outdoor activities. These symptoms can continue to persist for extended periods of time, even when a person removes themselves from the source of the smoke.

The difficulties when assessing smoke inhalation risks in regards to wildlife smoke is the percentage of pollutant particulate matter. Health effects when dealing with air particulates can range from relatively minor symptoms to more serious long term health effects. The fine particulates are respiratory irritants that can cause persistent coughing, phlegm build up, difficulty breathing, and impacts to the entire respiratory system. These particulates can decrease the body’s ability to effectively remove foreign materials from the lungs, leading to excess bacteria and viral infections. Even people without underlying conditions can experience reduced respiratory activity including lung irritation and pulmonary inflammation. 

Long term exposure to wildfire smoke inhalation has relatively little known data to conclusively make assessments, however studies involving prolonged exposure to severe conditions over several days and weeks suggest a cumulatively negative effect on the lung’s capacity to provide clean oxygen to the body. Difficulties in assessing the effects of wildfire exposures is due to the lack of detailed studies on the general public's reaction to those conditions compared to the studies conducted on wildland firefighters directly in the pathway of dangerous smoke conditions. Gaps in the knowledge also fail to accurately depict the status of persistent health conditions in the wildlife offseason for workers. 

Protections From Wildfire Smoke

The most effective way to prevent wildfire smoke inhalation health effects is by limiting a person’s direct exposure to the elements. The Center for Disease Control has published a variety of tips for the public to avoid developing health complications in the height of wildlife season. 

  1. Observe local air quality conditions

    1. News and health networks will release warnings and condition updates when there is a wildfire in your area. Take safety precautions by limiting your exposure to the outdoors when under advisory. 

  2. Evaluate health guidelines if they are available to your area.

  3. Stay indoors and keep indoor air as clean as possible. 

    1. Keeping inside air sealed from outside pollutants is almost as important as staying inside. 

  4. Use an air filter

    1. Air filters will help remove potential harmful particulates from the air you are breathing.

  5. Do not rely on dust masks for protection

    1. Comfort and dust masks will not protect you from smoke as they are only designed to stop large materials like sawdust. 

    2. A typical N95 used for covid will provide some protection if you must be exposed to the elements. 

Proposed rulings for regional safety precautions for employers are based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) tool used by the Environmental Protection Agency to measure air quality. The AQI utilizes a rating system to quantify the probability of danger to the respiratory system and anyone outdoors. The rules outline necessary protections for when the AQI denotes dangerous particulate conditions in the air quality. 

AQI Rules - Rating spans 0 to 500 or higher

0 to 69

  1. Air quality is satisfactory and no risk to outdoor exposure. 

  1. 69 to 100

    1. Air quality is acceptable but may pose certain risks to sensitive individuals or those with underlying conditions. 

    2. Wildfire smoke response plan and recommended emergency response measures for workers experiencing any associated symptoms. 

  2. 101 to 300

    1. Some members of the public may begin to experience health complications and respiratory symptoms, while those with underlying conditions may react more severely. 

    2. Provide respiratory protections 

    3. Feasible working conditions with necessary precautions 

  3. 301 to 500

    1. Respirator use for affected workers

    2. At least N95 masks for every employee

    3. Full workplace respiratory protection program

  4. Higher than the AQI

    1. An N95 does not offer satisfactory protections, and more advanced respirators are required. 

Wildlife Risks for 2023

With summer shortly beginning across the United States what are the predicted risks for wildfires?

Areas in the western United States prone to severe wildfires include dry regions with adequate amounts of vegetation like California, Washington, and Colorado. The threat between April and June will be very low, but gradually increase with summer temperatures and lack of moisture. 

The peak wildlife season is expected to last between August and September, with some areas to remain under advisory until late November. The 2022 season observed more than 7 billion acres of land burned by wildfires and although 2023 has seen more moisture in certain areas then previously recorded, that statistic will likely remain the same if dry conditions prevail later in the year. 

The Northwest and Rockies observed a dryer than average winter, which means those regions will face a higher risk of wildfires as the snowpack melts quickly with the onset of summer temperatures. Some forecasters are placing the start of severe wildfires season as early as June in some of these at risk areas. Forecasters also released warnings that although many states are unaffected by the direct outburst of severe wildfires, the spread of smoke across the nation can continue to pose long lasting effects and should be taken seriously. 

Canadian Public Health Experts Discuss Pros and Cons of Disclosing COVID Outbreaks at Businesses

An article by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) discussed the ethics and concerns of disclosing the names of businesses where COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred. When an outbreak of infection at a workplace is identified, standard public health practice is to publicly reveal the name of the workplace only if all contacts cannot be traced and a risk to the public is identified. 

In Canada, many larger cities such as Toronto and Hamilton have a reporting policy. In contrast, Ontario has no approach to reporting since the decision is left up to administrators of local health units. The authors of the article talk about the pros and cons of providing information to the public that could be seen as essential in letting a person make an informed decision on whether they want to visit a particular business. 

However, there are also many reasons that businesses may not publicly state that their workplace had an outbreak, the most prominent being people’s right to privacy. The article believes that it is vital to protect workers from stigma, public shaming, and harassment that could be associated with COVID-19. "Moreover, businesses that are outed as having an outbreak of infectious disease may face serious consequences that in turn may lead to loss of employment for workers and downstream effects for local economies," said the article.

An argument for letting employers know about outbreaks is that people are more likely to cooperate with efforts of the public health agencies to control an outbreak by allowing rapid access and intervention to protect workers. Ontario’s stay-at-home order expired on June 2nd, but existing restrictions on gathering, businesses, services, and activities will remain in effect for the time being. This includes limiting outdoor gatherings to up to five people, limiting essential retail capacity to 25%, restricting non-essential retail to do curbside pick-up and delivery, and prohibiting indoor gatherings. 


In the US, there are 28 OSHA-approved State Plans that set standards and enforcement programs and must be at least as effective as OSHA in protecting workers and in preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and death. 

In conclusion, the article in the CMAJ states that more collaboration is needed between public health agencies and workplaces to ensure that such things as paid sick leave and better infection controls come into play. 

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