Canada Air Quality Crisis Report 2024
Canada’s government and citizens have for years hailed the nation’s immaculate air quality. Yet, an unprecedented wildlife season has resulted in hours of smoke and pollution being released, significantly worsening the country’s air quality to such an extent that it has fallen behind the US for the very first time, underlining the severe and adverse effects of the fire.
Western Canada Bears Brunt of Pollution Crisis
The IQAir based in Switzerland stated that the general pollution level in Canada was poorer compared to that of its southern neighbor in its sixth annual World Air Quality Report, which was published on 19 March 2024. 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries were situated in Canada. Bangladesh was the world’s most polluted country at the top of the list. The United States and Canada followed in at numbers 93 and 102 respectively in the overall air quality index report that was published.
The vast majority of those places were concentrated in the western part of Canada, where the biggest chunks of land were ravaged by the wildfires.
Yellowknife Emerges as Unexpected Polluted Hub
But they additionally identified Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, as one of the country’s most polluted communities. The northern city, usually out of grasp from massive wildfires, took headlines over the summer when nearly twenty thousand locals were compelled to flee from their homes as multiple fires descended upon the region.
The Canadian Interagency Fire Service said in its latest report for 2023 that 6,551 fires burnt 18,496,057 hectares of land, as compared to 1,46,976 hectares burned in the year before.
Paul Kovacs, the executive director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction at Western University, stated that for a significant time frame, fires had been believed largely as a Western concern. Nevertheless, following the recent season, there is a requirement to comprehend it as a national issue with the potential to trigger loss, damage, and health problems in any region of the country.
Rising Severity of Wildfires Poses National Concerns
Waves of air quality warnings have been issued countrywide in the wake of the fires extending from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Large cities in Ontario, a region that is not frequently subjected to the sooty haze and disturbing orange skies resulting from smoke, were the areas impacted. Millions of residents in the eastern United States were experiencing poor air quality as an outcome of the fire.
It seems even more unlikely that there is going to be any respite in the forthcoming spring and summer, amid months of dismal headlines.
Canada’s emergency preparedness minister, Harjit Sajjan, informed reporters after February that early reports indicated the upcoming wildlife season might surpass the previous one in severity. He pointed out that this information came after an alarming but anticipated briefing by experts.
Over 100 wildfires kept on burning in British Columbia over the winter, highlighting the breadth of Canada’s troubles. The fires were driven by an autumn drought and a dry winter with extremely warm temperatures.
On March 18, 2024, provincial commissioner David Abbey informed the media persons that records had been set for several weather-related phenomena, like heat waves, snowfall, and drought. He said that experts had indicated a winter would prove to be very tough. He additionally indicated that measures would be taken for the forthcoming wildfire.
In the neighboring province of Alberta, officials also marked an early kick-off to the fire season after a dry and mild winter. They have talked about one of the lowest snowpacks in the last five decades as being a source of worry in the coming months.
Kovacs said that public officials find it highly challenging to determine the appropriate allocation of resources for wildfire preparedness. He noted a trend of increasing expenditure each year, yet governments are confronted with numerous competing priorities, making it difficult to decide where to allocate funds.
Environmental organizations have also drawn spotlights on the links between the impacts of climate change and fossil fuel sectors.
Climate Change Links and Calls for Action
Conor Curtis of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation argues that lawmakers in Canada must take note of the severe decline in air quality. He urged for the rapid implementation of measures such as an emissions cap on the Oil and Gas industry of Canada. He also said that these industries are most responsible for the country’s climate change as they have failed to cut emissions despite their substantial profits and the huge threat they pose to the health and homes of Canadians.