New york city: The wildfire situation in Canada has worsened, with 858 active fires across the country, 111 of which remain uncontrolled. The majority of these fires are located in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, prompting Ontario authorities to request assistance from the federal government and the Canadian military to help evacuate thousands of people from northern communities severely threatened by the blazes. Approximately 15 million acres of forest have already been destroyed.
According to Thai News Agency, drone footage reveals thick smoke spreading over a highway in Thames Center, Ontario, before winds carry the pollution across the border into the United States, spreading widely from the Midwest to the Northeast. This has resulted in major cities like Toronto, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee experiencing dangerously high air quality levels. Reports indicate poor air quality across 10 states, from Minnesota to southern Maryland.
This smog crisis is severely impacting people's lives, with Detroit ranked by IQAir as the city with the worst air quality in the world on Thursday, with a pollution index soaring to 600-twice the level considered dangerous by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In New York City, the sky was covered in an orange haze with a strong, pungent smell. Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned that the pollution was dangerous to everyone, not just vulnerable groups, and ordered the free distribution of KN95 masks to libraries and police stations.
The air crisis has raised serious concerns for the World Cup final between defending champions Argentina and European champions Spain, scheduled for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This open-air match will be held in front of over 82,500 fans, as well as another 50,000 who will gather in Central Park, Manhattan.
Respiratory experts from the American Lung Association have warned that the hot and polluted weather will exacerbate the physical strain and put severe stress on the players' cardiovascular systems. They suggest that players may need to take more than two water breaks per game for safety. They also advise fans with health problems or compromised immune systems to consider selling their tickets and watching the matches at home for their own safety.
However, the meteorological office predicts that the weather may begin to clear as heavy rain falls on Saturday, helping to wash away the smog, before a high-pressure system or cold front moves in on Sunday morning. This is expected to clear the remaining smog from the area in time for the historic match to begin at 3:00 PM local time.