Escalating wildfires in Canada have forced thousands to evacuate and deteriorated air quality in the United States, threatening the World Cup final in New Jersey and sparking sharp tensions after Trump threatened to impose new tariffs.

Facing this crisis, the Canadian military has mobilized its aircraft to assist remote areas besieged by flames, amid severe drought fueled by climate change.

Climate experts say rising temperatures have dried out timber and increased wildfires in recent years in Canada, which has some of the world's largest forested areas.

69 fires in one day

Canada's Ministry of Natural Resources reported 69 new wildfires overnight, bringing the total to 955 fires.

The total area burned so far is nearly 28,500 square kilometers, well below the average over the past five years. However, winds carried the smoke south of the border, prompting authorities to issue air quality alerts and health warnings in parts of the United States.

Evacuation of thousands

The Canadian military is preparing to evacuate a remote town that is now threatened by expanding wildfires, whose choking smoke has blanketed vast areas of the United States.

Federal Emergency Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the armed forces will use aircraft to evacuate residents of the town of Fort Hope in northwestern Ontario, a low-density area where some of the most intense fires are burning. The region lacks roads and relies heavily on air transport.

Authorities have already evacuated thousands from affected areas to cities further south in Ontario.

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Wildfire Smoke Threatens World Cup

Thick clouds of smoke from wildfires in Canada and the northern United States have raised concerns about the World Cup final, scheduled for Sunday at an open stadium in New Jersey, after air quality deteriorated in several U.S. cities.

Smoke plumes extended south from Canada and northern Minnesota, prompting authorities to issue new health warnings across large areas of the Midwest and Northeast United States, including New York and New Jersey.

Air conditions in both areas were classified as unhealthy, while smog covered the Manhattan skyline and reduced visibility, days before the final match between Spain and Argentina.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, said tournament organizers are closely monitoring the situation amid warnings of possible increased smoke density through the night and into Saturday morning.

However, experts at the U.S. National Weather Service predicted conditions would improve by Sunday, stating that forecasts do not indicate pollution levels during the match reaching the extent seen in recent days, though hazy conditions may persist.

Meteorologist Peter Mullinax said northwesterly winds could push more smoke toward the northeastern United States, but he ruled out any impact during the match strong enough to threaten its holding.

Experts noted that expected rainfall over the weekend could help reduce smoke density and improve air quality.

Detroit topped the list of the world's most polluted cities due to the smoke, while Washington and Chicago approached similar levels, and authorities urged residents to avoid going out unless necessary.

Trump Threatens Tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Canada for the spread of wildfire smoke across the United States, saying he would add the 'incalculable cost' of dealing with the pollution to the tariffs currently imposed on Canadian goods.

Trump said he would call the Canadian leader to find out what he intends to do about this 'utterly unacceptable' situation.

He wrote in a post on Truth Social: 'We hold Canada responsible for not properly maintaining its forests... and for the unnecessary invasion of dirty, polluted, and unhealthy air into the United States.'

He added: 'This is deliberate negligence that repeats annually, costing the United States billions of dollars, and the cost of this pollution must be added to the tariffs that Canada currently pays.'