US President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive rhetorical offensive against Canada, accusing his northern neighbor of failing to cope with massive wildfires. A column of smoke enveloping the Midwest and the East Coast of the United States prompted a harsh statement from the White House chief on the social network Truth Social.
Accusations of negligence and tariff threats
Trump stated directly that he holds Canada responsible for Americans being forced to breathe "dirty, polluted, and unhealthy air." According to him, Ottawa has abandoned basic forest management and cleanup, leading to the current catastrophe.
"This is deliberate negligence that has become an annual problem," the US President wrote. "It costs the United States billions of dollars, and the cost of this pollution should certainly be added to the tariffs that Canada is currently paying."
The US leader promised to discuss these issues with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, insisting that the damage to the US ecology and economy must be compensated.
Catastrophe in Canada: scale of the disaster
The situation in the north is indeed critical. Canada is experiencing one of the most aggressive fire seasons in recent years, exacerbated by anomalous heat. The fire has already destroyed more than 6 million hectares of forest.
In the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, there are more than 450 active fire sites, most of which are classified as uncontrolled. Authorities have been forced to evacuate residents of ten settlements. Temperatures in some areas exceed +37°C, and dry thunderstorms are provoking new outbreaks daily.
To combat the elements, 150 aircraft and helicopters have been mobilized, along with mobile headquarters of the Canadian Army. The country's government has officially requested international assistance; fire brigades from South Africa and Australia have already joined the firefighting efforts.
A history of mutual aid: what Trump is hiding
In his statement, Trump failed to mention a key fact: Canada has been saving the US from wildfires for more than 40 years. A mutual aid agreement, in effect since 1982, allows Canadian rescuers to cross the border under simplified procedures.
Canadian specialists are considered among the best in the world at wildfire management. Only in recent years, they have repeatedly prevented catastrophes in American states. Coordinating aid takes a matter of hours, and the number of people involved often exceeds 500 per deployment.
A key role is played by unique equipment not available to the US. The legendary Canadair CL-415 amphibious aircraft form the backbone of the aerial fleet for firefighting. They are capable of scooping up 6,000 liters of water in 12 seconds directly from water bodies. The states of Washington, Montana, and California regularly rent this equipment. Without Canadian aviation, the localization of fires in hard-to-reach areas of the US would take three times longer.
