- President Donald Trump has lashed out at Canada and its prime minister, vowing to hold the country responsible for wildfire smoke that has engulfed parts of the United States.
- “We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their forests, and brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!” Trump wrote on Friday.
- He continued, “I will call the Prime Minister during the day to find out what they are going to do about it. The cost is incalculable! Canada has refused to engage in basic forest management and debris removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result. This is willful negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States billions of dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”
- Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are enduring unhealthy air as 100 wildfires burn in Canada. Air quality warnings are expected to remain in place through Saturday across a wide swath of the U.S., though there’s potential for temporary relief from rains and storms.
- Wildfires in a wilderness area in Minnesota are also contributing to the smoke as health officials warn that long-term exposure can complicate existing health problems and lead to chronic and deadly issues, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular and neurological diseases and premature death.
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