Toronto briefly recorded the worst air quality in the world on Friday, June 6, 2025, as wildfire smoke blanketed the city, prompting health warnings and disrupting daily life.
Smoke plumes from wildfires in Canada have crossed the Atlantic and reached Europe. These wildfires released an estimated 56 megatonnes (56 billion kg) of carbon, prompting large-scale evacuations and deteriorating air quality across parts of North America and Europe as smoke plumes crossed the Atlantic and reached the Mediterranean in May 2025.
Over 25 000 residents across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have been evacuated due to dozens of out-of-control wildfires. Smoke from the fires is affecting air quality across much of the central and eastern United States, including the Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions, prompting health advisories and air quality alerts in multiple states.
More than 17 000 people were evacuated across Manitoba, Canada, on May 28, 2025, after the provincial government declared a state of emergency due to 22 active wildfires, 11 of which remained out of control. The evacuation is considered the largest in recent memory for the province and is expected to require significant resources and coordination among all levels of government.
Wildfires are ravaging parts of Canada, with 2024 on track to become the second-worst fire season in two decades. Satellite data indicates that carbon emissions from wildfires have already exceeded the 20-year average. Reports indicate that the number of wildfires in Northern Canada has increased by 50% in the last three weeks.
A destructive wildfire continues to engulf parts of Jasper National Park and the adjacent town of Jasper in Alberta, Canada, leading to extensive evacuations and significant structural damage. As of this morning, the fire, which started due to lightning, has destroyed an estimated 30 – 50 % of buildings in the area.
Wildfires in northern Alberta prompted evacuations of three communities as the province contends with five significant blazes posing a severe threat to safety and infrastructure. Over 5 000 residents were affected, covering 62 000 ha (150 000 acres). Meanwhile, British Columbia is battling over 300 wildfires, exacerbated by a three-week heatwave. High temperatures and lightning have caused widespread evacuation orders, with firefighters struggling to contain the rapidly spreading flames across both provinces.
Multiple wildfires burning in British Columbia and Manitoba have forced thousands of people to evacuate and spread hazardous smoke into the northern United States, prompting air quality alerts.
Multiple wildfires in Canada’s northern territories have forced thousands to evacuate their homes, especially in Yellowknife. As the flames approached, the 20 000 residents of the city have been instructed to vacate by Friday, August 18, 2023.
The annual emissions from wildfires in Canada as of June 26, 2023, have reached record levels, marking the largest amount the country has seen since satellite monitoring began in 2003.
