Wildfires in Canada's Ontario cause severe smog, disrupt rail traffic
Ottawa, July 16
Wildfires sweeping across northwestern Ontario, Canada, in recent days have caused severe smog and a sharp deterioration in air quality in several regions, including Ottawa, the nation's capital, and Toronto, Canada's largest city.
On Wednesday (local time), Toronto's air quality index ranked the worst among major global cities. According to data released by Environment Canada, Toronto's Air Quality Health Index was classified as "very high risk." Ottawa also issued air quality alerts due to a combination of wildfire smoke and humid weather, with high humidity trapping smoke particles in the air and turning the sky yellow.
Meanwhile, a video widely circulated on social media showed a Canadian National (CN) train surrounded by raging wildfires near Armstrong, Ontario. The footage, filmed late Monday by a locomotive crew member, showed towering flames engulfing the woods on both sides of the train and casting an intense red glow throughout the locomotive cab.
CN on Wednesday confirmed the authenticity of the video, adding that the train crew had been safely evacuated.
Currently, more than 100 active fires are still burning in northwestern Ontario, forcing the emergency evacuation of residents from several communities. CN has also announced a temporary suspension of train operations in the affected section, reports Xinhua news agency.
Weather authorities warned that due to prevailing airflow and wind patterns, the heavy smog is expected to persist for several more days.
In just the past five years, Canada has witnessed a concerning rise in severe weather occurrences.
The country is heating up at a rate more than double that of the global average, with the Canadian Arctic experiencing temperatures nearly three times greater than the global rate.
Rampant wildfires, fatal droughts, and devastating floods indicate that the climate in Canada is already transforming, with scientists and experts cautioning that these events are expected to escalate.
— IANS
Reader Comments
That video of the train surrounded by flames is absolutely terrifying! 😨 I can't imagine how scared the crew must have been. Thank God they were evacuated safely. But this is a direct consequence of global warming. We need stricter emission norms globally, not just in developing nations like India.
As someone who lived in Toronto for 10 years, this is heartbreaking. The city used to have such clean air compared to Delhi. Now it's ranked worst? Climate change doesn't discriminate. India should learn from this—our own forest fires in Uttarakhand and Himachal are becoming more frequent. We need better firefighting infrastructure.
I appreciate the reporting, but I wish India's media focused more on our own environmental crises. The heatwaves, floods, and air pollution here are killing thousands every year. While we sympathize with Canada, we must also hold our own government accountable for failing to address climate risks effectively. 🌿
Sad to see this happening in Canada—they have such vast forests. But we've been warning about this for years. The Arctic warming three times faster is terrifying. India must push for climate action in global forums. We can't be silent while rich nations burn fossil fuels. Time for real change, not just speeches. 🔥
The air quality index being 'very high risk' in Toronto is shocking. We face this in Delhi every winter, and now the West is experiencing it too. This is nature's warning. I just hope global leaders take this seriously before it's too late. Our children deserve a livable planet. 🌏
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