Canada is experiencing its second-worst wildfire season on record in 2025, with 7.4 million hectares burned as of August 11. The extensive wildfires have generated repeated bouts of toxic smoke that have drifted southward, significantly deteriorating air quality across parts of Canada and the United States, including major cities from Chicago to New York. The smoke has prompted Republican lawmakers in the U.S. to call on Canada to take measures to reduce the impact of the wildfires, such as implementing prescribed burns and forest thinning, although these calls have been criticized for overlooking the role of climate change. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has urged the Canadian federal government to provide increased assistance to combat the wildfires nationwide.