Wildfire smoke from the United States crossed into Canada on Saturday evening, prompting air quality warnings in British Columbia.
The incident occurred just days after US President Donald Trump threatened Canada with tariffs over drifting wildfire pollution.
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The British Columbia Wildfire Service issued alerts for the Kootenay Lake and Cranbrook regions along the southeastern border.
According to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, 22 large blazes are currently burning across Washington and Oregon, pushing smoke northward.
“Much of this smoke is originating from fires south of the Canada-US border in Washington and Oregon,” the British Columbia Wildfire Service stated.
The smoke drift follows recent claims by Trump and fellow Republicans accusing Canada of poor wildfire management.
On Friday, Trump posted on social media that the US was being invaded by dirty air.
“[The] cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying,” Trump stated.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sidestepped the tariff criticisms during the World Cup final on Sunday, where Trump repeated the tariff threats.
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Carney emphasized global climate cooperation in an earlier briefing last week.
“Fighting climate change is the responsibility of all countries, including the United States,” Carney said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded directly to the political criticisms regarding the active blazes.
As of Monday, Canada reports 843 active wildfires, with 181 listed as out of control and spreading.
“If there’s politicians out there chirping away, well maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help, because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends,” Ford said.
Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness Eleanor Olszewski highlighted the country's recent financial commitments to environmental safety, noting a C$12 billion investment in forest sustainability over five years.
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“This is a challenge that knows no borders,” Olszewski said.
