More than 800 Canadian wildfires burning as air quality alerts extend to US

More than 800 Canadian wildfires are burning, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, with the bulk of the fires reported to be out of control. Fires in western Ontario are sending heavy smoke plumes over Thunder Bay and Toronto, while lighter concentrations drift across the Great Lakes and into New York, producing hazy skies and reddish sunrises and sunsets. Ontario is forecast to experience widespread thunderstorms over the next few days, though rainfall may not substantially ease the fire situation. Northwesterly winds will continue to push smoke into northeastern U.S. states through the weekend, raising concerns that smoke could reach New Jersey, where Sunday’s World Cup final is scheduled. A shift in wind patterns expected by Monday should disperse the smoke across Quebec, improving air quality farther south in the United States. Detroit currently has the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir, followed by Minneapolis and Toronto.