President Trump faces criticism from scientists as human-caused climate change doubles the likelihood of Canada's massive summer wildfires
A new study by World Weather Attribution reveals that human-caused climate change doubled the likelihood of the tinderbox weather conditions that sparked Canada’s massive summer wildfires. While the fires sent choking smoke across the border into the United States, President Trump has expressed frustration with Canada's forest management. The administration announced that the fires were a result of poor management by Canada, but climate and fire scientists argue that the United States is largely to blame due to its historical emissions of heat-trapping gases. Researchers found that without the 2.5 degrees of warming since the industrial age, these extreme fire conditions would occur less than once every 40 years. Scientists noted that much of Canada's boreal forest is remote and difficult to manage, making it harder to suppress fires than in the United States. Despite the clear science linking fossil fuel combustion to the frequency and intensity of the fires, President Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs as a punishment for the smoke and the resulting air quality issues affecting large U.S. cities.