Wildfires have rapidly spread across Ontario, Canada, leading to the evacuation of multiple rural and First Nations communities and sending thick smoke into the northeastern United States, including New York City. On Wednesday, residents in Toronto and other parts of southern Ontario woke to a hazy, orange-tinged sky accompanied by a strong smell of wood smoke, prompting health warnings from Environment Canada about the dangers of prolonged outdoor exposure.

Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, cautioned that air quality in New York state and surrounding areas was expected to deteriorate further over the next 36 hours as smoke from distant fires moves southeastward. "In general terms, expect it to get worse before it’s going to get better," he said.

At least six communities near Thunder Bay, Ontario, including several First Nations settlements, have been evacuated in response to the fires. In one instance, members of the Anishinabegogaming First Nation, a community of about 40 people, were evacuated by boat. Sol Mamakwa, an Indigenous member of the Ontario provincial parliament, described the situation as catastrophic, stating that “an entire First Nations community has been erased because of this disaster.”

The wildfires have also posed risks to rail transportation in northern Ontario. Flames threatened three trains carrying flammable goods, which were halted at safer locations by the Ontario Provincial Police. A video recorded from inside a locomotive in Armstrong, Ontario, showed firefighters communicating about the rapid approach of flames along the tracks. Michelle Hannan, a spokeswoman for Canadian National Railway, confirmed that the crew members were safely evacuated and that rail operations in the affected area are currently suspended as a precaution.

In response to the heightened danger, several municipalities have prohibited open flames, including campfires. This comes after a recent heatwave pushed temperatures in Toronto to nearly 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday.

Although the wildfire season typically extends from April to October, favorable weather earlier this year—including rainfall in western regions and cooler conditions in eastern Canada—had initially limited fire outbreaks. However, current conditions have changed drastically. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported 838 active wildfires nationwide, with approximately 4.7 million acres burned to date in 2026. While this remains significantly lower than the 22.2 million acres scorched in 2025—the second-worst wildfire year on record following 2023—the ongoing fires are raising concerns.

The smoke and heatwave are closely linked: a heat dome driving record-high temperatures in Ontario and the northeastern U.S. is also trapping smoke near the ground, exacerbating air quality issues. This pattern of stagnant air is expected to persist, prolonging the impact of the wildfire smoke across the affected regions.