Canadian wildfire smoke makes Toronto air quality worst in the world, reaches US Northeast
Toronto’s air quality ranked worst globally on Wednesday as wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario drifted into the northeastern United States, triggering health warnings and event cancellations.
Wildfires burning hundreds of kilometers from Toronto have created hazardous air conditions. Environment Canada recorded an Air Quality Health Index of 10+, classified as "very high risk," for Toronto, with forecasts indicating the dangerous conditions could persist through Thursday night.
New York City is also beginning to feel the effects, with local authorities urging residents to limit strenuous outdoor activities. The National Weather Service warned that smoke could linger into the end of the week, potentially affecting Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey.
Swiss air quality technology company IQAir ranked Toronto as having the world's worst air quality, surpassing Kinshasa and Delhi. New York ranked fifth.
The fires also complicated rescue efforts. A group of children from Minnesota who were camping in the Canadian wilderness was evacuated by helicopter in coordination with the Canadian military. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed both groups were rescued and on their way home.
A video circulating on social media showed a Canadian National train surrounded by fire near Armstrong, Ontario. The railroad operator suspended operations in the area and evacuated employees.
Due to poor air quality, Toronto canceled the FIFA Fan Festival and the England-Argentina World Cup watch party at Nathan Phillips Square. In New York, more than 80,000 people are expected to attend the World Cup final at an open-air stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, with another 50,000 planning to watch from Central Park.
The Government of Canada reported that the 2026 wildfire season started more slowly than in 2023 or 2025, but warned that fires were likely due to warmer-than-usual temperatures. On Wednesday, 835 active fires were burning across the country, 112 of which were considered out of control. So far, 1.9 million hectares have burned, mostly in the central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
Greg Evans, a professor at the University of Toronto, expects such events to become more frequent in the coming decades. Toronto resident Paula Oreskovich expressed concern about the air quality and noted that climate change is clearly happening.
