Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota continued to affect air quality across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest on Saturday. While the National Weather Service (NWS) reported improving conditions in Washington, D.C., and the Northeast, a new concentration of smoke was expected to move across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana through Sunday. The poor air quality led to the postponement of a Friday Major League Baseball game in Cleveland.
In response to the air quality issues, President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he intended to impose new tariffs on Canada. The President attributed the smoke to "willful negligence" in Canadian forest management and said the costs of the pollution should be added to existing tariffs. This followed a letter from four Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, which questioned Canada's steps to reduce wildfire risk.
Canadian officials responded by highlighting bilateral cooperation and the role of climate change. Prime Minister Carney stated that both nations share responsibility for addressing climate change, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford noted that Canada has historically assisted the U.S. in fighting wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service confirmed that two fires originating in Minnesota, the Bear Trap and Thumb fires, recently crossed into Canadian territory, and that agencies from both countries are coordinating suppression efforts.
Health experts, including Peter DeCarlo of Johns Hopkins University, advised residents in affected areas to use air purifiers and N-95 masks to reduce exposure to particulate matter. The NWS expected air quality alerts in New England to remain in effect through Saturday night, with gradual improvement anticipated by Sunday.