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13 June 2025
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Canada’s ongoing wildfires emit toxic smoke, trigger international deployments
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Canadian firefighters are battling 225 active wildfires throughout the nation as of Wednesday, including 101 fires labelled as “out of control,” according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Numerous evacuation orders are in place throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provinces. Local officials have declared multiple states of emergency as over 8,318,000 acres (3,366,566 hectares) have burned across the country since the beginning of 2025.
The fires’ consequences are not just being felt locally, but internationally. Smoke from the wildfires has drifted across the Atlantic Ocean, turning skies above the United Kingdom orange. The fires’ smoke may also be uniquely toxic due to the country’s heavily mined forests.
“The country’s forests have long been mined, operations that loaded soils and waterways with toxic metals like lead and mercury, especially before clean-air standards kicked in 50 years ago,” Matt Simon with Grist reported. “Now everyone downwind of these wildfires may have to contend with that legacy and those pollutants, in addition to all the other nasties inherent in wildfire smoke, which are known to exacerbate respiratory and cardiac problems.”
The international problem triggered international help. Multiple firefighters from Australia recently deployed to Canada to assist with wildfire efforts, including personnel with Forest Fire Management Victoria and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. FFMVic reportedly sent a taskforce of 20 firefighters to assist efforts in Alberta.
“The Canadian terrain may be challenging and the trees and wildlife very different, but FFMVic staff are experienced in fighting fires these conditions,” the management service said in a social media post. “Their skills are sharpened through overseas deployments where they learn from different environments, fire behaviour and international colleagues.”
NSW sent 36 firefighting specialists with the service, along with 16 members from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and two from NSW’s Forestry Corporation.
“Here in NSW, we understand the destructive power of bush and forest fires, and we stand ready to support our Canadian colleagues in their time of need,” Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said in a press release. “I’d like to thank all personnel involved in this deployment and wish them well. We look forward to their safe return.”
Photo1: Credit: Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
Photo2: “This week, the enormous smoke plumes of wildfires in Canada’s boreal forest were picked up by high-altitude winds, blanketing part of eastern Canada in haze and contributing to poor air quality,” the Canadian Space Agency posted on June 8.
Source: Wildfire Today
The fires’ consequences are not just being felt locally, but internationally. Smoke from the wildfires has drifted across the Atlantic Ocean, turning skies above the United Kingdom orange. The fires’ smoke may also be uniquely toxic due to the country’s heavily mined forests.
“The country’s forests have long been mined, operations that loaded soils and waterways with toxic metals like lead and mercury, especially before clean-air standards kicked in 50 years ago,” Matt Simon with Grist reported. “Now everyone downwind of these wildfires may have to contend with that legacy and those pollutants, in addition to all the other nasties inherent in wildfire smoke, which are known to exacerbate respiratory and cardiac problems.”
The international problem triggered international help. Multiple firefighters from Australia recently deployed to Canada to assist with wildfire efforts, including personnel with Forest Fire Management Victoria and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. FFMVic reportedly sent a taskforce of 20 firefighters to assist efforts in Alberta.
“The Canadian terrain may be challenging and the trees and wildlife very different, but FFMVic staff are experienced in fighting fires these conditions,” the management service said in a social media post. “Their skills are sharpened through overseas deployments where they learn from different environments, fire behaviour and international colleagues.”
NSW sent 36 firefighting specialists with the service, along with 16 members from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and two from NSW’s Forestry Corporation.
“Here in NSW, we understand the destructive power of bush and forest fires, and we stand ready to support our Canadian colleagues in their time of need,” Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said in a press release. “I’d like to thank all personnel involved in this deployment and wish them well. We look forward to their safe return.”
Photo1: Credit: Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
Photo2: “This week, the enormous smoke plumes of wildfires in Canada’s boreal forest were picked up by high-altitude winds, blanketing part of eastern Canada in haze and contributing to poor air quality,” the Canadian Space Agency posted on June 8.
Source: Wildfire Today