Unstoppable Wildfires in Canada: 400% of 10-y Average Extent, Limited Blue Skies Over the USA (Chicago’s Air Quality Index (AQI) peaked above 150 (Unhealthy)), It is predicted to be the TOP2 Year in History
Marek Kučera 
Chicago Heavily Impacted — 2025 Predicted to Become 2nd Worst Fire Year in Canadian History
As of mid-June 2025, Canada is facing a relentless wildfire crisis, with smoke blanketing vast portions of the United States, notably affecting major cities like Chicago, New York, and Boston. Experts now warn that 2025 is on track to become the second worst wildfire year in Canadian history, trailing only the unprecedented devastation of 2023.
🔥 The Scope of the Disaster
- Over 3.75 million hectares have already burned across Canada, driven by exceptionally dry conditions, record heat, and persistent lightning storms.
- More than 1,900 fires remain active, with the hardest-hit provinces being British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and parts of Quebec.
- Officials confirm many of these fires are out of control, with new outbreaks occurring daily due to lightning-induced ignitions in bone-dry boreal forests.
🌫️ Smoke Fallout: The U.S. Feels the Heat
- Plumes of smoke have swept into the U.S. Midwest, Great Lakes, and East Coast, dimming skies and reducing visibility.
- Chicago has been particularly affected, experiencing multiple days of dense smoke and “unhealthy” air quality ratings.
- Photos and satellite imagery show a thick, grey shroud over Lake Michigan and the city skyline, turning daylight into a muted haze.
🫁 Public Health Concerns Rising
- The smoke contains PM2.5 fine particles and traces of arsenic, lead, and mercury, posing serious health risks to individuals with asthma, COPD, or heart conditions.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued Air Quality Alerts in over a dozen states.
- Health departments advise limiting outdoor activity, using HEPA air filters indoors, and wearing N95 masks when outside.
🌍 Climate Change Driving the Crisis
Experts warn that climate change is intensifying wildfire seasons, increasing their frequency, scale, and unpredictability:
- Warmer winters prevent deep soil freezing, allowing more flammable material to accumulate.
- Extended droughts and low humidity make forests tinder-dry, vulnerable to rapid ignition.
- “Zombie fires”, or overwintering blazes that smolder beneath snowpack, are now reigniting in early spring.
🔎 Chicago: A Case Study
- In the second week of June, Chicago’s Air Quality Index (AQI) peaked above 150 (Unhealthy).
- Local hospitals reported a rise in ER visits for breathing problems.
- Residents reported gritty haze, eye irritation, and reduced visibility across expressways and downtown.
📉 Limited Blue Skies, and Limited Options
- Many Americans are asking: “Where did our blue skies go?”
- The sun is often filtered through a thick veil of smoke, turning it orange-red during sunsets and barely visible at midday.
- Even areas far from the fires — like the Carolinas, New England, and parts of Europe — have reported smoky skies due to transcontinental drift.
📈 Historic Ranking: A Dire Forecast
- 2023 holds the record for Canada’s worst wildfire year (~18 million hectares burned).
- 2025 is already ahead of the 10-year average by over 400%, with projections suggesting it could easily rank second all-time if current trends continue.
🛑 What Can Be Done?
- Cross-border firefighting cooperation is ongoing, with U.S. crews assisting in Canada.
- However, experts stress that long-term climate adaptation and forest management are the only real solutions.
- Public awareness, early evacuation systems, and real-time smoke monitoring apps are crucial to prevent health crises.
🔗 Key Resources
- AirNow.gov – U.S. Air Quality Tracker
- Firesmoke.ca – Canada’s real-time wildfire smoke map
- Environment Canada – National wildfire and weather alerts
- CDC Wildfire Smoke Guide – Link
Wildfires in Canada in June 2025. Source: https://www.cnmng.ca/corriere-canadese-incendi-stagione-allinizio-gia-da-record-e-molti-sono-causati-dalluomo/language/italian/pelum/40957/
