A freight train crew was safely rescued on Wednesday after being surrounded by wildfire flames near Armstrong, Ontario, in an incident described by one worker as "scary." The Canadian National Rail stated that operations in the region have been temporarily suspended following the rescue.
Across Canada, 838 wildfires are actively burning, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. In Ontario alone, more than 100 wildfires are active, with several communities in the northwestern part of the province facing threats. The smoke from these fires has blanketed Toronto, contributing to what IQAir, a global air quality tracker, ranked as the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday. Outdoor events in Toronto, including World Cup fan gatherings, were canceled, and wading pools were closed.
Officials have issued warnings for people to remain indoors to avoid the smoke and limit strenuous outdoor activity. The situation is compounded by extreme heat and dry conditions, which have also fueled more than a dozen fires in Minnesota, a U.S. state bordering Canada.
Authorities anticipate the smoke will drift into several major U.S. cities in the coming days. The extreme heat warnings in Wisconsin and Minnesota are expected to end by Thursday night, but the air quality concerns are projected to persist as smoke plumes travel southward.