Latest news with #NationalWildlandFireSituationReport
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfires and air quality are fuelling eco-anxiety: 'How are we going to live?'
Environment Canada has issued air quality warnings due to migrating smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario. On Monday morning, IQAir, a Swiss technology company ranked Toronto second on a list of the worst air quality in the world with PM2.5, particle matter from sources like wildfires, wood burning and vehicle emissions, as its largest source of pollution. According to the National Wildland Fire Situation Report, as of July 9 there have been 2,962 wildfires in Canada in 2025, and there's still several months to go before wildfire season ends in October. Summer 2025 is a continuation of a year that so far, has been marked by devastating fires. Earlier this year, 30 people died and thousands were displaced as wildfires burned across Los Angeles County. In the summer of 2024, thousands of Canadians were forced to evacuate their homes due to fires in British Columbia and Alberta. In Jasper, Alta., a popular tourist destination, more than a third of the town's buildings were destroyed, and damages came in at more than $800 million. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. A version of this article was originally published in July 2024. In the summer of 2021, the village of Lytton, B.C., was reduced to ash. Four years later, only a handful of businesses have been rebuilt, and many former residents are still displaced. Amid wildfires, extreme weather and climate change, some Canadians are feeling uncertain about the future of the environment. Annie Malik, a 33-year-old resident of London, Ont., said she often feels anxious or overwhelmed by the environmental state of the planet: Heatwaves in Pakistan (where she's from) and record-breaking temperatures in the summer, coupled with mild winters in Canada and air pollution from wildfires. 'What is going to happen to the world? If the planet is uninhabitable, how are we going to live?' Malik told Yahoo Canada in summer 2024. 'There's no way I can go back during the summers because I can't handle the heat. ... People are dying every day in the summer,' Malik noted, adding that she worries for her family. Malik's sentiments are echoed by many Canadians who are feeling eco-anxious, or emotional from the effects of climate change, especially since 2023's record-breaking wildfire season. According to a 2023 survey by Unite For Change, 75 per cent of Canadians are experiencing anxiety about climate change and its impacts. If the planet is uninhabitable, how are we going to live?Annie Malik In 2024,Yahoo Canada spoke to Canadians about their eco-anxiety, as well as a mental health expert on how to cope. Climate anxiety, ecological grief and solastalgia are all similar terms to describe the emotional distress caused by environmental changes. The American Psychological Association defines it as 'a chronic fear of environmental doom' and recognizes it as a legitimate increasing mental health concern. Cree Lambeck, clinical director at Cherry Tree Counselling, offers eco-counselling services and said some clients can present both physical and mental health symptoms from ecological issues. For example, someone might struggle with asthma and breathing issues from air pollution. 'Other times a person can feel stress or really powerless around climate change,' said Lambeck. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, symptoms of eco-anxiety can include: Feelings of depression, anxiety or panic Grief and sadness over the loss of natural environments Existential dread Guilt related to your carbon footprint Anger or frustration toward government officials Obsessive thoughts about the climate Heather Mak is a 42 year old from Toronto who said she's felt eco-anxious for well over a decade, which 'can feel overwhelming.' Mak transitioned out of a marketing career into the sustainability field, hoping she could take control of some of her anxieties. She's currently in corporate sustainability, working with large businesses on environmental and social issues, and she runs a nonprofit called Diversity in Sustainability. 'How I try to deal with it is by taking action,' she said. 'But then again, when you start working in this field, it's almost like you can never sleep, because the scope of the issue just keeps getting bigger.' How I try to deal with it is by taking Mak Last year, Mak heard about the Climate Psychology Alliance and started seeing a climate-aware psychologist to help her process some of her feelings from eco-anxiety, as well as burnout from her work. As recommended by her psychologist, Mak tries to immerse herself in nature as much as possible to keep herself grounded. 'There's also groups called climate cafes,' Mak said. 'I think just chatting with others who are going through the same thing really helps.' Other times, Mak will channel her energy into writing letters to elected officials. At Cherry Tree Counselling, Lambeck offers clients 'walk and talk ecotherapy.' The sessions can be in-person or over the phone and both the therapist and client will chat outdoors. Lambeck said many people access eco-counselling services, from adolescents to seniors. 'People can experience [climate anxiety] throughout their lifespan and it can present in different ways — like with parenting,' Lambeck said. Some research has found that young adults are even hesitant to have kids due to climate change. 'There's a lot of existential worry associated with global crises.' It's important to take breaks and set those boundaries and practice self-care and find social support in those Lambeck, clinical director at Cherry Tree Counselling Considering environmental issues can impact many prongs in someone's life, like family planning or lifestyle choices, Lambeck said she tries to offer clients practical tools and concrete strategies that might help tackle some of the turmoil. For instance, she might help target some ways a person can reduce their carbon footprint, identify some of their core values or try to find opportunities or sustainable initiatives the person might be able to participate in. 'For some people, this can help provide a sense of empowerment or control if they're feeling helpless. Engaging in meaning-focused coping and finding purpose,' Lambeck said. Another strategy is to focus on boundary setting or limit the exposure of distressing news. 'What is the balance between staying informed or excess consumption?' Lambeck said. Images of burning forests, oil spills and floods are plentiful and distressing and can exacerbate our eco-anxiety. 'So it's important to take breaks and set those boundaries and practice self-care and find social support in those times.'
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfires and air quality are fuelling eco-anxiety: 'How are we going to live?'
Environment Canada has issued air quality warnings due to migrating smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario. On Monday morning, IQAir, a Swiss technology company ranked Toronto second on a list of the worst air quality in the world with PM2.5, particle matter from sources like wildfires, wood burning and vehicle emissions, as its largest source of pollution. According to the National Wildland Fire Situation Report, as of July 9 there have been 2,962 wildfires in Canada in 2025, and there's still several months to go before wildfire season ends in October. Summer 2025 is a continuation of a year that so far, has been marked by devastating fires. Earlier this year, 30 people died and thousands were displaced as wildfires burned across Los Angeles County. In the summer of 2024, thousands of Canadians were forced to evacuate their homes due to fires in British Columbia and Alberta. In Jasper, Alta., a popular tourist destination, more than a third of the town's buildings were destroyed, and damages came in at more than $800 million. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. A version of this article was originally published in July 2024. In the summer of 2021, the village of Lytton, B.C., was reduced to ash. Four years later, only a handful of businesses have been rebuilt, and many former residents are still displaced. Amid wildfires, extreme weather and climate change, some Canadians are feeling uncertain about the future of the environment. Annie Malik, a 33-year-old resident of London, Ont., said she often feels anxious or overwhelmed by the environmental state of the planet: Heatwaves in Pakistan (where she's from) and record-breaking temperatures in the summer, coupled with mild winters in Canada and air pollution from wildfires. 'What is going to happen to the world? If the planet is uninhabitable, how are we going to live?' Malik told Yahoo Canada in summer 2024. 'There's no way I can go back during the summers because I can't handle the heat. ... People are dying every day in the summer,' Malik noted, adding that she worries for her family. Malik's sentiments are echoed by many Canadians who are feeling eco-anxious, or emotional from the effects of climate change, especially since 2023's record-breaking wildfire season. According to a 2023 survey by Unite For Change, 75 per cent of Canadians are experiencing anxiety about climate change and its impacts. If the planet is uninhabitable, how are we going to live?Annie Malik In 2024,Yahoo Canada spoke to Canadians about their eco-anxiety, as well as a mental health expert on how to cope. Climate anxiety, ecological grief and solastalgia are all similar terms to describe the emotional distress caused by environmental changes. The American Psychological Association defines it as 'a chronic fear of environmental doom' and recognizes it as a legitimate increasing mental health concern. Cree Lambeck, clinical director at Cherry Tree Counselling, offers eco-counselling services and said some clients can present both physical and mental health symptoms from ecological issues. For example, someone might struggle with asthma and breathing issues from air pollution. 'Other times a person can feel stress or really powerless around climate change,' said Lambeck. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, symptoms of eco-anxiety can include: Feelings of depression, anxiety or panic Grief and sadness over the loss of natural environments Existential dread Guilt related to your carbon footprint Anger or frustration toward government officials Obsessive thoughts about the climate Heather Mak is a 42 year old from Toronto who said she's felt eco-anxious for well over a decade, which 'can feel overwhelming.' Mak transitioned out of a marketing career into the sustainability field, hoping she could take control of some of her anxieties. She's currently in corporate sustainability, working with large businesses on environmental and social issues, and she runs a nonprofit called Diversity in Sustainability. 'How I try to deal with it is by taking action,' she said. 'But then again, when you start working in this field, it's almost like you can never sleep, because the scope of the issue just keeps getting bigger.' How I try to deal with it is by taking Mak Last year, Mak heard about the Climate Psychology Alliance and started seeing a climate-aware psychologist to help her process some of her feelings from eco-anxiety, as well as burnout from her work. As recommended by her psychologist, Mak tries to immerse herself in nature as much as possible to keep herself grounded. 'There's also groups called climate cafes,' Mak said. 'I think just chatting with others who are going through the same thing really helps.' Other times, Mak will channel her energy into writing letters to elected officials. At Cherry Tree Counselling, Lambeck offers clients 'walk and talk ecotherapy.' The sessions can be in-person or over the phone and both the therapist and client will chat outdoors. Lambeck said many people access eco-counselling services, from adolescents to seniors. 'People can experience [climate anxiety] throughout their lifespan and it can present in different ways — like with parenting,' Lambeck said. Some research has found that young adults are even hesitant to have kids due to climate change. 'There's a lot of existential worry associated with global crises.' It's important to take breaks and set those boundaries and practice self-care and find social support in those Lambeck, clinical director at Cherry Tree Counselling Considering environmental issues can impact many prongs in someone's life, like family planning or lifestyle choices, Lambeck said she tries to offer clients practical tools and concrete strategies that might help tackle some of the turmoil. For instance, she might help target some ways a person can reduce their carbon footprint, identify some of their core values or try to find opportunities or sustainable initiatives the person might be able to participate in. 'For some people, this can help provide a sense of empowerment or control if they're feeling helpless. Engaging in meaning-focused coping and finding purpose,' Lambeck said. Another strategy is to focus on boundary setting or limit the exposure of distressing news. 'What is the balance between staying informed or excess consumption?' Lambeck said. Images of burning forests, oil spills and floods are plentiful and distressing and can exacerbate our eco-anxiety. 'So it's important to take breaks and set those boundaries and practice self-care and find social support in those times.'
Global News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Canada's wildfire smoke ‘suffocating,' needs ‘better' management: U.S. reps
Some U.S. members of Congress are demanding 'better forest management' in Canada, saying 'suffocating' wildfire smoke is dangerous and makes it difficult to 'get outside.' 'As we are entering the height of the fire season, we would like to know how your government plans on mitigating wildfire(s) and the smoke that makes its way south,' Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany and Minnesota Rep. Brad Finstad said in a letter addressed to the Canadian embassy in D.C. The letter goes on to say it's not the first year Canadian wildfire smoke has been 'an issue.' Tiffany and Finstad blame 'a lack of active forest management' and arson for the wildfires. 'With all the technology that we have at our disposal, both in preventing and fighting wildfires, this worrisome trend can be reversed if proper action is taken,' they wrote. Story continues below advertisement 'In our neck of the woods, summer months are the best time to spend time outdoors recreating, enjoying time with family, and creating new memories, but this wildfire smoke makes it difficult to do those things.' Tiffany, in a post on X, said Minnesota representatives Pete Stauber and Michelle Fischbach, Wisconsin Rep. Glenn Grothman, and Republican Majority Whip and Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer had joined the letter as well. Wildfires have been raging across multiple parts of Canada since the spring, with a total of 2,672 to date and about 354 fires currently active. According to the National Wildland Fire Situation Report from Natural Resources Canada, 105 of those wildfires are uncontrolled. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Canadian federal officials had warned in early June that this wildfire season was expected to be challenging. 1:47 Crews making progress on wildfire near Thompson The wildfire smoke forecast, provided by BlueSky Canada's FireSmoke app, currently shows wildfire smoke stretching across much of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but also drifting south into North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and other U.S. states. Story continues below advertisement In May, Manitoba RCMP made a pair of arson arrests connected to a rash of wildfires spreading across the province at the time. Last month, several states, including Minnesota, issued air quality warnings, while Nebraska issued a smoke advisory at the time and Wisconsin cautioned people to limit time outdoors. Wisconsin has not issued another advisory since June 3, while Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency currently lists air quality in the state as good to moderate. Global News has reached out to the federal government for a response. Read a full transcript of the letter, addressed to the Canadian embassy in D.C., below. Dear Ambassador Hillman, We write to you today on behalf of our constituents who have had to deal with suffocating Canadian wildfire smoke filling the air to begin the summer. As we are entering the height of the fire season, we would like to know how your government plans on mitigating wildfire and the smoke that makes its way south. As I'm sure you know, this is not the first year Canadian wildfire smoke has been an issue. In 2023, Canada had its worst year for wildfires on record, last year's fire season was considered one of the worst, and this year seems to be a continuation of these previous years. Story continues below advertisement While we know a key driver of this issue has been a lack of active forest management, we've also seen things like arson as another way multiple large wildfires have ignited in Canada. With all the technology that we have at our disposal, both in preventing and fighting wildfires, this worrisome trend can be reversed if proper action is taken. Our constituents have been limited in their ability to go outside and safely breathe due to the dangerous air quality the wildfire smoke has created. In our neck of the woods, summer months are the best time of the year to spend time outdoors recreating, enjoying time with family, and creating new memories, but this wildfire smoke makes it difficult to do all those things. Canada has been a friendly neighbor of the United States and the states we represent, so given the significance of this issue we urge you to relay this message to your government, in particular Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Forest Service. Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your response. Tom Tiffany, member of Congress Brad Finstad, member of Congress
