Wow, it's pretty hazy here today!
Heat, wildfire smoke combine to create dangerous conditions across southwestern Ontario
- Thread starter TheShadow
- Start date
On the day that a 34° temperature was forecast, yesterday, we had instead a nuclear winter. It was quite eerie looking though when I first noticed it upon waking I thought there was a tornado going to be coming along soon. That's usually the case when you see a greenish yellow sky.
Pretty cool day here in Simcoe County.
Pretty cool day here in Simcoe County.
CN rail crew's terrifying video of being trapped by raging wildfire goes viral
Spokesperson says crew members were safely evacuated, and rail service through Armstrong is currently suspended
Author of the article:Bryan Passifiume
Published Jul 15, 2026 • 2 minute read
Fire surrounds a train
The crew trapped inside the cab of a locomotive during a wildfire in northwestern Ontario were safely rescued, according to a statement from the railway. Photo by Sol Mamakwa/X /TORONTO SUN
The crew trapped inside the cab of a locomotive during a wildfire in northwestern Ontario was safely rescued, according to a statement from the railway.
Video of a CN rail crew radioing for help inside of a locomotive surrounded by burning trees near Armstrong, Ont — about 400 km northeast of Kenora and 1,000 km northwest of Toronto — quickly went viral Tuesday evening, highlighting the frightening extent of the northwestern Ontario wildfires.
“This could potentially overtake us here,” one of the unnamed railway employees is heard saying, as burning trees surround the locomotive.
“This has gotten a little scary.”
Walking to the locomotive’s control stand, the crew member — who along with a second person appears to be inhabiting a remote-controlled engine located away from the head end — describes their plight over a two-way radio.
CN closes rail line through Armstrong
“Y’all need to hurry up here, like seriously — we’re encased by flames now,” he’s heard speaking into the radio.
“Yeah, I hear you,” a voice replied, telling him they are “notching up” — a railway term indicating that the engineer is applying throttle to set the locomotive in motion.
In a statement to the Toronto Sun, a CN spokesperson confirmed that the train’s crew members were all safely evacuated.
“CN has temporarily suspended rail operations near Armstrong as a precaution due to wildfire activity in the area,” the statement read. “As a safety measure, CN employees in the area and residents of the town of Armstrong were evacuated Monday night.”
The statement said the railway is maintaining close contact with Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and local authorities, and that the safety of employees, the community, and emergency responders remain their top priority.
Armstrong is a terminal point for CN’s Caramat subdivision, a railway line that’s part of the railway’s transcontinental route for both freight and VIA Rail trains.
VIA Rail has also cancelled its Toronto-to-Vancouver Canadian passenger trains due to the fire risk.
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Spokesperson says crew members were safely evacuated, and rail service through Armstrong is currently suspended
Author of the article:Bryan Passifiume
Published Jul 15, 2026 • 2 minute read
Fire surrounds a train
The crew trapped inside the cab of a locomotive during a wildfire in northwestern Ontario were safely rescued, according to a statement from the railway. Photo by Sol Mamakwa/X /TORONTO SUN
The crew trapped inside the cab of a locomotive during a wildfire in northwestern Ontario was safely rescued, according to a statement from the railway.
Video of a CN rail crew radioing for help inside of a locomotive surrounded by burning trees near Armstrong, Ont — about 400 km northeast of Kenora and 1,000 km northwest of Toronto — quickly went viral Tuesday evening, highlighting the frightening extent of the northwestern Ontario wildfires.
“This could potentially overtake us here,” one of the unnamed railway employees is heard saying, as burning trees surround the locomotive.
“This has gotten a little scary.”
Walking to the locomotive’s control stand, the crew member — who along with a second person appears to be inhabiting a remote-controlled engine located away from the head end — describes their plight over a two-way radio.
CN closes rail line through Armstrong
“Y’all need to hurry up here, like seriously — we’re encased by flames now,” he’s heard speaking into the radio.
“Yeah, I hear you,” a voice replied, telling him they are “notching up” — a railway term indicating that the engineer is applying throttle to set the locomotive in motion.
In a statement to the Toronto Sun, a CN spokesperson confirmed that the train’s crew members were all safely evacuated.
“CN has temporarily suspended rail operations near Armstrong as a precaution due to wildfire activity in the area,” the statement read. “As a safety measure, CN employees in the area and residents of the town of Armstrong were evacuated Monday night.”
The statement said the railway is maintaining close contact with Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and local authorities, and that the safety of employees, the community, and emergency responders remain their top priority.
Armstrong is a terminal point for CN’s Caramat subdivision, a railway line that’s part of the railway’s transcontinental route for both freight and VIA Rail trains.
VIA Rail has also cancelled its Toronto-to-Vancouver Canadian passenger trains due to the fire risk.
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
CN rail crew's terrifying video of being trapped by raging wildfire goes viral
Chilling video shows CN railway workers surrounded by flames near Armstrong, Ont. before being safely evacuated from the wildfire. Read on.
Republicans slam Canada as wildfire smoke fills American skies
'American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction,' says letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney
Author of the article:Ling Hui
Published Jul 16, 2026 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 2 minute read
A person on a bench reads a newspaper as wildfire smoke from Canada causes hazy conditions on July 16, 2026 in New York.
A person on a bench reads a newspaper as wildfire smoke from Canada causes hazy conditions on July 16, 2026 in New York. Photo by Scott Olson /Getty Images
Four Republican members of the U.S. Congress say Canadian officials aren’t doing enough to prevent wildfires as smoke from north of the border is drifting into the U.S. northeast.
In a letter signed by Michigan Republicans John James, Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar and Lisa McClain, and addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, the four lawmakers said the federal and provincial governments have failed to address the underlying causes of worsening wildfires.
“Our constituents in Michigan are once again under air quality alerts. Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them,” the lawmakers said in the letter dated Wednesday.
“This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to.”
The four lawmakers said they have repeatedly been told that their concerns would be addressed, only to be met with inaction.
“We were told the causes, chronic under-investment in forest thinning, fuel reduction, and prescribed burns, along with inadequate enforcement against arson, were being addressed. They were not, or not adequately enough to matter to the people we represent,” they wrote.
Lawmakers vow to take matters in their own hands
They also say provincial leaders “have offered excuses instead of results, and in some cases have openly dismissed the health of American citizens as an inconvenience to their own summer.”
Calling it “unacceptable from a neighbour and an ally,” they said if Canada could not manage its forests to prevent these fires, the U.S. would “act on our own” to protect Americans, claiming that “American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction.”
The lawmakers maintained that they “remain ready to work with Canada in good faith,” but said they have had enough of what they described as “excuses” from Canadian officials.
“Our constituents are breathing the consequences of this failure right now, and they deserve better than to be told, again, that it will be handled,” they ended their letter.
Canadian wildfire smoke drifted south to states near the border Thursday, where unhealthy to hazardous air quality was recorded across parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and New York.
Prime Minister’s response
During a news conference Thursday in London, Ont., Carney was asked to comment on the letter.
Responding to a reporter’s question in French, the Prime Minister highlighted that while Canada is investing in clean energy, “in the U.S. there’s prohibitions against clean energy.”
He also said that the U.S. has reduced climate change efforts on a global scale.
“Climate change is everyone’s responsibility – truly everyone’s – including the United States,” Carney added.
torontosun.com
'American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction,' says letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney
Author of the article:Ling Hui
Published Jul 16, 2026 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 2 minute read
A person on a bench reads a newspaper as wildfire smoke from Canada causes hazy conditions on July 16, 2026 in New York.
A person on a bench reads a newspaper as wildfire smoke from Canada causes hazy conditions on July 16, 2026 in New York. Photo by Scott Olson /Getty Images
Four Republican members of the U.S. Congress say Canadian officials aren’t doing enough to prevent wildfires as smoke from north of the border is drifting into the U.S. northeast.
In a letter signed by Michigan Republicans John James, Jack Bergman, John Moolenaar and Lisa McClain, and addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, the four lawmakers said the federal and provincial governments have failed to address the underlying causes of worsening wildfires.
“Our constituents in Michigan are once again under air quality alerts. Our hospitals are once again treating children, dialysis patients, and older residents for the effects of smoke that did not originate anywhere near them,” the lawmakers said in the letter dated Wednesday.
“This is the third consecutive year we have had to write to Canadian officials about a crisis that Canada has the tools to prevent and has chosen not to.”
The four lawmakers said they have repeatedly been told that their concerns would be addressed, only to be met with inaction.
“We were told the causes, chronic under-investment in forest thinning, fuel reduction, and prescribed burns, along with inadequate enforcement against arson, were being addressed. They were not, or not adequately enough to matter to the people we represent,” they wrote.
Lawmakers vow to take matters in their own hands
They also say provincial leaders “have offered excuses instead of results, and in some cases have openly dismissed the health of American citizens as an inconvenience to their own summer.”
Calling it “unacceptable from a neighbour and an ally,” they said if Canada could not manage its forests to prevent these fires, the U.S. would “act on our own” to protect Americans, claiming that “American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction.”
The lawmakers maintained that they “remain ready to work with Canada in good faith,” but said they have had enough of what they described as “excuses” from Canadian officials.
“Our constituents are breathing the consequences of this failure right now, and they deserve better than to be told, again, that it will be handled,” they ended their letter.
Canadian wildfire smoke drifted south to states near the border Thursday, where unhealthy to hazardous air quality was recorded across parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and New York.
Prime Minister’s response
During a news conference Thursday in London, Ont., Carney was asked to comment on the letter.
Responding to a reporter’s question in French, the Prime Minister highlighted that while Canada is investing in clean energy, “in the U.S. there’s prohibitions against clean energy.”
He also said that the U.S. has reduced climate change efforts on a global scale.
“Climate change is everyone’s responsibility – truly everyone’s – including the United States,” Carney added.
Republicans slam Canada as wildfire smoke fills American skies
As wildfire smoke drifts south of the border, four Republican lawmakers say Canada isn't doing enough to prevent the blazes. Read more.
They should just slap a tariff on the smoke and that should solve the problem,
Trump threatens to raise tariffs over Canadian wildfire smoke
U.S. President Donald Trump says the cost of pollution from wildfire smoke drifting south of the border 'must' be added to the tariffs imposed on Canadian goods.
What is said as a joke is taken seriously by some dimwitted politicians.
Wow…& one of the weirdest things about this is I’m not even surprised, let alone shocked, as this is just par for the course.Trump threatens to raise tariffs over Canadian wildfire smoke
U.S. President Donald Trump says the cost of pollution from wildfire smoke drifting south of the border 'must' be added to the tariffs imposed on Canadian goods.www.cp24.com
What is said as a joke is taken seriously by some dimwitted politicians.
Can we have a retroactive Mount Saint Helens fee? Anyone second the motion?
