Wildfires broke out in many provinces and territories of Canada, particularly Quebec and Nova Scotia; The federal government said its models projected an increased wildfire risk across most of the country through August.

• This Sunday, June 4th, the Canadian government announced that around 3.3 million hectares – the size of Belgium – had already burned, which is 13 times the ten-year average; More than 120,000 people have been displaced from their homes, at least temporarily. There are currently 413 active wildfires, of which 249 are considered out of control.

The smoke from the fires was carried to the Atlantic coast by the fires and low-pressure areas, throwing several Canadian and American cities into fog.

• According to IQAir, a pollution mapping tool¹, New York’s air quality is at unhealthy levels. Currently, on a scale of 0 to 500, the city air scores 168, reaching 222 overnight. Canada’s capital, Ottawa, scored 471; In Kingston, Ontario, to the south, readings reached 475 at 7 a.m.
• A total of around 100 million people in North America are affected by an air quality warning; The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has described it as “harmful” to much of the Northeastern United States.

The low snowfall this winter and exceptionally dry spring in Canada partly explain the record number of fires. Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, received just 120 millimeters of rain between March and May, about a third of the average; Temperatures were also well above seasonal levels, with a heatwave pushing temperatures 10°C above expectations.