United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose higher tariffs on Canadian imports, accusing Canada of failing to manage its forests and allowing wildfire smoke to blanket large parts of the United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, July 17, 2026, Trump described the recurring smoke pollution as “willful negligence” and said it was costing the United States billions of dollars.
He argued that the financial burden of the pollution should be added to the tariffs already imposed on Canada.
“This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars,” Trump wrote, adding that the “cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”
Trump also accused Canada of failing to properly maintain its forests through effective forest management and debris removal. He said he planned to speak with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss measures to address the worsening smoke.
The threat comes as dense wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota continues to trigger unhealthy air quality alerts across several parts of the United States.
According to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, Canada had 937 active wildfires as of Saturday, July 18, 2026, with most of them burning out of control.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Canada’s Minister of Emergency Management, Eleanor Olszewski, said Canadian and US authorities remain in constant communication over the wildfires.
She noted that both countries have a long history of working together to combat wildfires and disclosed that Canada has invested about $12 billion in forest sustainability and wildfire prevention programmes since 2020.
The smoke has significantly affected air quality across major US cities. Detroit was ranked the world’s most polluted city on Friday by air quality monitoring platform IQAir, while Washington and Chicago also recorded unhealthy air conditions, prompting health officials to advise residents to limit outdoor activities.
The pollution has also raised concerns ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey. Tournament organisers said they were closely monitoring air quality conditions.
Although air quality improved slightly across parts of New Jersey and New York after heavy smog reduced visibility on Thursday, the US National Weather Service warned that smoke could thicken again overnight into Saturday.
Meteorologist Peter Mullinax of the National Weather Service said shifting winds over the Great Lakes could push additional smoke into the northeastern United States, although conditions were expected to improve before Sunday’s final.
Air quality forecaster Joel Dreessen of the state of Maryland said forecast models suggested smoke levels could begin to decrease, depending on weekend weather systems.
Across several cities in the Midwest and Northeast, residents were seen wearing protective masks outdoors, while public facilities, including libraries and train stations in New York, distributed masks free of charge.
Chris Carlsten, a researcher at the University of British Columbia, warned that fine particles from wildfire smoke pose serious health risks, particularly to the lungs. He explained that smoke can contain not only wood and vegetation but also toxic materials such as plastic, paint and metal, making it increasingly hazardous as it travels through the atmosphere.
Scientists have also linked the worsening wildfire seasons to climate change.
Mark Parrington of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said rising temperatures and drier soil conditions have created longer fire seasons, allowing wildfires to burn for weeks across large areas.
Authorities said wildfires continued to intensify in Ontario, Canada, forcing evacuations in several remote communities, while firefighting aircraft battled the growing blazes.
Meanwhile, 16 active wildfires were reported in the Superior National Forest along Minnesota’s border with Canada. The US Forest Service warned that changing weather conditions, including strong winds and thunderstorms, could complicate firefighting operations.
Source: AFP
