WTF?!? Canada and wild fires
- Thread starter Scrapman
- Start date
WisconsinGardener
Loony Member
Copy and pasted from a post on Facebook:
Sourced this reply to a post by a simple-minded snowflake American complaining about some smoke, feel free to cut and paste at your leisure:
Okay. Obviously maybe your understanding of the world outside your own little corner of the world is limited. So let me see if I can explain it to you....
I'll speak about my home province of Manitoba. For the last 5 or so years we have been in drought. In the winter of 2024 and going into 2025 we have record drought. Well below average snow fall, like maybe 1/6th what we normally get. Going into spring when we normally get lots of rain. We got none. The province was tinder dry. A cigarette butt, lightening strike, careless bonfire, hot muffle on a ATV is all that it took to start a raging forest fire.
Manitoba burned last year. Worst forest fire season on record. There were concerns that even over winter these forest fires would continue to burn under ground in peat. Call zombie fires. I knew all too well. A fire broke out close to my family cabin. I raced from work and was awake for three days straight fighting the fire. I got zero sleep. We don't have running water on the property. Myself, neighbors, friends ended up using water from a ditch to handbomb water in buckets to fight the fire. 72 hours, no rest. Through luck, the grace of God, friends and family we fought the fire and won.
Fire came as close as 5 feet from burning my neighbours cabin and 30 yards from mine. We nearly lost the cabin three seperate times. We were the lucky ones. Others, lost their lives or their homes or cabins. These fires were province wide. We had fire fighters as far as Australia come to help.
Then you get some ignorant fools on Facebook complaining about the smoke in the air. And saying ignorant things like
- "Why doesn't Canada do something about it"
- "Canada is ruining my summer with their forest fires"
- "Canada doesn't manage their forests properly"
- "Why doesn't Canada cut fire lines to fight the fires"
- "Why doesn't Canada put out the fires"
And so on and so forth...
All incredibly stupid comments coming from people that clearly have no clue.
Alot of these fires are burning in Canada's boreal forest. This region is larger than your entire country. It's where the US gets all its lumber from. This isnt your little small state parks where everything is mircomanaged. This is a huge unbroken forest of pure wilderness. There is very little infrastructure, such as roads, towns, airports. It is pure unbroken wilderness. Where the closest road could be 100 miles away.
Why don't we cut firelines? The boreal forest is bigger than the US, do you have any idea how unrealistic that would be?! The boreal forest has millions of lakes, marshes, swamps, and rivers. Not mention mountains, hills, and valleys. What could would a firelines be if you can even take a vehicle down it because it would sink into a swamp?
Canada has for the last few years recieved less snow and rainfall than normal. We have been in drought conditions. (Manitoba this year is now flooding because of the unprecedented high rainfall we received this summer). There were hundreds of fires burning in Canada. Resources like fire fighting equipment like plans, helicopters trucks, firetrucks, as well as firefighters. The area is simply too big. If you have a fire that is burning 100 miles in the bush and there are no roads allowing you to get close, what do you do? Fly one helicopter in 100miles to dump bucket of water of the fire, to put out 0.0001% of the fire?!
Another scenario for you. There is a fire that is threating an entire town, it's people, and everything they hold dear, their entire lives are at stake. There is also a forest fire burning 20 miles away in the middle of the forest that is not threating anyone or any town.
Which do you prioritize? You can only put your limited resources to one fire.
I was faced with this in 2025 when that fire threatened my cabin. Do I run through the bush putting out every fire I see, and maybe loose the property my family has held for over 100 years. Or do fight to save my cabin and the property?
This is what Canada faced. It's impossible to deploy enough forces to put out every fire. The prioritize the ones that have the highest threat. Would you want it any other way, put yourself in our shoes. Would you want firefights to pull up and leave your home to burn to the ground because a few trees down the road were on fire and your neighbor further down the road is complain that fire is making his yard smokey?
So....when some "individual" comes on here and complains that Canada isn't doing a good enough job fighting fires. Their summer is absolutely ruined because of some smoky air (boo hoo!), or criticizes littlerly a world wide of fire fighters effort to battle these fire all the while putting their lives at risk. It screams of arrogance, ignorance, utter stupidly, and lack of understanding of the world outside their little isolated bubble in which they live.
So, all that said, I can see both sides. We are in Canada right now and just drove through some of the burn areas from last year. This year, the Yukon is actually getting more rain than normal, so this year, in the Yukon, at least, fire is far less a danger. My son-in-law is a pilot and it is actually his dream to fly the planes that fight forest fires. (Highly dangerous work and my daughter is not thrilled about that dream of his). As we drove through that area yesterday, he was explaining about the fires. They concentrate their resources on fires that are close to homes and the roads, but I could see for myself how very huge these areas are, just in the Yukon, let alone the rest of the northern part of Canada. We drove through other areas of fire from years ago, and it is green with new trees and flowers - a natural forest renewal.
Granted, the smoke is terrible. It has cut down our viewing of the mountains even here where fires are not happening. Worse, my poor siblings and their families are struggling to breathe in Wisconsin right now. One of them has asthma so bad that it is literally life-threatening. But when much of Canada is in a severe drought, and these fires start and are everywhere, and the population in these northern areas are so few, I can definitely understand why they put their resources into saving homes and they let the rest of it burn.
Sourced this reply to a post by a simple-minded snowflake American complaining about some smoke, feel free to cut and paste at your leisure:
Okay. Obviously maybe your understanding of the world outside your own little corner of the world is limited. So let me see if I can explain it to you....
I'll speak about my home province of Manitoba. For the last 5 or so years we have been in drought. In the winter of 2024 and going into 2025 we have record drought. Well below average snow fall, like maybe 1/6th what we normally get. Going into spring when we normally get lots of rain. We got none. The province was tinder dry. A cigarette butt, lightening strike, careless bonfire, hot muffle on a ATV is all that it took to start a raging forest fire.
Manitoba burned last year. Worst forest fire season on record. There were concerns that even over winter these forest fires would continue to burn under ground in peat. Call zombie fires. I knew all too well. A fire broke out close to my family cabin. I raced from work and was awake for three days straight fighting the fire. I got zero sleep. We don't have running water on the property. Myself, neighbors, friends ended up using water from a ditch to handbomb water in buckets to fight the fire. 72 hours, no rest. Through luck, the grace of God, friends and family we fought the fire and won.
Fire came as close as 5 feet from burning my neighbours cabin and 30 yards from mine. We nearly lost the cabin three seperate times. We were the lucky ones. Others, lost their lives or their homes or cabins. These fires were province wide. We had fire fighters as far as Australia come to help.
Then you get some ignorant fools on Facebook complaining about the smoke in the air. And saying ignorant things like
- "Why doesn't Canada do something about it"
- "Canada is ruining my summer with their forest fires"
- "Canada doesn't manage their forests properly"
- "Why doesn't Canada cut fire lines to fight the fires"
- "Why doesn't Canada put out the fires"
And so on and so forth...
All incredibly stupid comments coming from people that clearly have no clue.
Alot of these fires are burning in Canada's boreal forest. This region is larger than your entire country. It's where the US gets all its lumber from. This isnt your little small state parks where everything is mircomanaged. This is a huge unbroken forest of pure wilderness. There is very little infrastructure, such as roads, towns, airports. It is pure unbroken wilderness. Where the closest road could be 100 miles away.
Why don't we cut firelines? The boreal forest is bigger than the US, do you have any idea how unrealistic that would be?! The boreal forest has millions of lakes, marshes, swamps, and rivers. Not mention mountains, hills, and valleys. What could would a firelines be if you can even take a vehicle down it because it would sink into a swamp?
Canada has for the last few years recieved less snow and rainfall than normal. We have been in drought conditions. (Manitoba this year is now flooding because of the unprecedented high rainfall we received this summer). There were hundreds of fires burning in Canada. Resources like fire fighting equipment like plans, helicopters trucks, firetrucks, as well as firefighters. The area is simply too big. If you have a fire that is burning 100 miles in the bush and there are no roads allowing you to get close, what do you do? Fly one helicopter in 100miles to dump bucket of water of the fire, to put out 0.0001% of the fire?!
Another scenario for you. There is a fire that is threating an entire town, it's people, and everything they hold dear, their entire lives are at stake. There is also a forest fire burning 20 miles away in the middle of the forest that is not threating anyone or any town.
Which do you prioritize? You can only put your limited resources to one fire.
I was faced with this in 2025 when that fire threatened my cabin. Do I run through the bush putting out every fire I see, and maybe loose the property my family has held for over 100 years. Or do fight to save my cabin and the property?
This is what Canada faced. It's impossible to deploy enough forces to put out every fire. The prioritize the ones that have the highest threat. Would you want it any other way, put yourself in our shoes. Would you want firefights to pull up and leave your home to burn to the ground because a few trees down the road were on fire and your neighbor further down the road is complain that fire is making his yard smokey?
So....when some "individual" comes on here and complains that Canada isn't doing a good enough job fighting fires. Their summer is absolutely ruined because of some smoky air (boo hoo!), or criticizes littlerly a world wide of fire fighters effort to battle these fire all the while putting their lives at risk. It screams of arrogance, ignorance, utter stupidly, and lack of understanding of the world outside their little isolated bubble in which they live.
So, all that said, I can see both sides. We are in Canada right now and just drove through some of the burn areas from last year. This year, the Yukon is actually getting more rain than normal, so this year, in the Yukon, at least, fire is far less a danger. My son-in-law is a pilot and it is actually his dream to fly the planes that fight forest fires. (Highly dangerous work and my daughter is not thrilled about that dream of his). As we drove through that area yesterday, he was explaining about the fires. They concentrate their resources on fires that are close to homes and the roads, but I could see for myself how very huge these areas are, just in the Yukon, let alone the rest of the northern part of Canada. We drove through other areas of fire from years ago, and it is green with new trees and flowers - a natural forest renewal.
Granted, the smoke is terrible. It has cut down our viewing of the mountains even here where fires are not happening. Worse, my poor siblings and their families are struggling to breathe in Wisconsin right now. One of them has asthma so bad that it is literally life-threatening. But when much of Canada is in a severe drought, and these fires start and are everywhere, and the population in these northern areas are so few, I can definitely understand why they put their resources into saving homes and they let the rest of it burn.
This guy has it right, only this summer, the fires and drought problems have shifted east into Ontario from Manitoba.
On days like yesterday, or probably today, the water bomber and fire retardant planes and bucket helicopters can't fly because visibility is so low. There is literally no other way to fight these remote fires.
I'll rant along with everybody else about piss poor wildland management, but that's what you get when no human forestry intervention is allowed. Thing is, the situation is where it stands right now, and we have to deal with it. Decades worth of dry, dead fuel that should have been cleared or harvested. Mother Nature is simply dealing with it as she has done for millions of years.
Our AQI is 22 this morning! Gorgeous day out today!
Last night, the sun was the brightest red I've ever seen. It honestly looked like a florescent red ping pong ball hanging in a gray cloud!
Oh...I took a couple pics, but didn't think they turned out. They did show the color!
Summerthyme
Last night, the sun was the brightest red I've ever seen. It honestly looked like a florescent red ping pong ball hanging in a gray cloud!
Oh...I took a couple pics, but didn't think they turned out. They did show the color!
Summerthyme
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Zagdid
Veteran Member
View: https://twitter.com/i/status/2077838650964918329
Doug Ford slashed $42 MILLION from the wildland firefighting budget to save a buck. The result? Right now, entire communities like Collins First Nation are burning to the ground, with residents forced to literally flee into lakes on boats because they were abandoned without emergency support.
They gut the budget, leave the North to burn, and then act shocked when the smoke hits the cities. Absolute garbage leadership.
((Doug Ford = premier of Ontario ) (Canada has provided Ukraine with 25+ billion in support since 2022))
Doug Ford slashed $42 MILLION from the wildland firefighting budget to save a buck. The result? Right now, entire communities like Collins First Nation are burning to the ground, with residents forced to literally flee into lakes on boats because they were abandoned without emergency support.
They gut the budget, leave the North to burn, and then act shocked when the smoke hits the cities. Absolute garbage leadership.
((Doug Ford = premier of Ontario ) (Canada has provided Ukraine with 25+ billion in support since 2022))
Looks like they have a group of active fire bugs.
danielboon
TB Fanatic
Open Source Intel @Osint613 Trump: 'We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable! I will call the Prime Minister during the day to find out what they are going to do about it. The cost is incalculable! Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result. This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP'
Head of the Lakes, No Mn. We've got a bunch of thunder coming at us...hopefully it will have some rain with it.
Nice shower ...rained hard for about 20 min. Helped right in the area. Thankfull for small gifts.
2nd edit...Some Blue skies, fluffy white clouds after the rain. Smoke is a little lighter. Thankfull.
Nice shower ...rained hard for about 20 min. Helped right in the area. Thankfull for small gifts.
2nd edit...Some Blue skies, fluffy white clouds after the rain. Smoke is a little lighter. Thankfull.
Last edited:
KFhunter
FAFO
You could have put that in the drone thread lol
KFhunter
FAFO
Mzkitty
I give up.
Mine's 108 right now, but it looks like it shifted more south:
gispub.epa.gov
AirNow Interactive Map
gispub.epa.gov
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
Today Timothy was "supposed" to leave to head home to DC.
We got him to the airport on time, he hugged us and headed down the jetbridge to the plane, and we (mom & dad) headed back to the MARTA station to head home.
We had 'almost' reached it when he called us on his phone---
Not only was the flight delayed here in Atlanta, due to the severe electrical storms we were having at the airport--
BUT THERE WAS A TOTAL SHUTDOWN--"FULL GROUND STOP"-- OF THE AIRPORT AT RONALD REAGAN AIRPORT IN DC BECAUSE OF "POOR AIR QUALITY" THAT WAS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR PLANES TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT !!!
[About the same time, we got a call that Timothy's grandmother (hubby's 97-year-old mother) had had a cardiac arrest)--she passed away later this afternoon. So it was meant to be, that Timothy remain here! God works things out in mysterious ways!]
But we also heard from AlfaMan re this--he had just texted us in relation to T to "get him an N-95 mask" to wear when he deplanes in DC, because of the air quality. He had been sent home from work early at 1 pm in the afternoon because the air was simply too unsafe to breathe---said some were collapsing in the streets and he himself was experiencing chest pains trying to breathe in that air. He said that news in DC was saying that "breathing 10 minutes of this air was equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes"--!!
We got him to the airport on time, he hugged us and headed down the jetbridge to the plane, and we (mom & dad) headed back to the MARTA station to head home.
We had 'almost' reached it when he called us on his phone---
Not only was the flight delayed here in Atlanta, due to the severe electrical storms we were having at the airport--
BUT THERE WAS A TOTAL SHUTDOWN--"FULL GROUND STOP"-- OF THE AIRPORT AT RONALD REAGAN AIRPORT IN DC BECAUSE OF "POOR AIR QUALITY" THAT WAS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR PLANES TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT !!!
[About the same time, we got a call that Timothy's grandmother (hubby's 97-year-old mother) had had a cardiac arrest)--she passed away later this afternoon. So it was meant to be, that Timothy remain here! God works things out in mysterious ways!]
But we also heard from AlfaMan re this--he had just texted us in relation to T to "get him an N-95 mask" to wear when he deplanes in DC, because of the air quality. He had been sent home from work early at 1 pm in the afternoon because the air was simply too unsafe to breathe---said some were collapsing in the streets and he himself was experiencing chest pains trying to breathe in that air. He said that news in DC was saying that "breathing 10 minutes of this air was equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes"--!!
155 arty
Veteran Member
Im in the boreal forest right now ....agreed not many actually realize the scale and magnitude and expanse of the region and scale of the fires ....not to mention how to get equipment and people into these areas
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
Where is this alert in effect, Ms. Kitty? It doesn't say on the picture.
Mzkitty
I give up.
Upstate NY
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
From MzKitty's link posted yesterday---airflow as of 8 am today:
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
Just now saw your post! (great minds think alike
)
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
North Central PA - AccuWeather is warning that the rain we get today will diminish the smoke a bit but it's expected to return on Sunday. Our AQI is 174 right now.
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Ontario buying new aircraft to fight fires, pushes back against US criticism
Story by David LjunggrenReuters
A helicopter drops water on the southern flank of the Brunswick Complex wildfires near North Bend, British Columbia, Canada, July 11, 2026. BC Wildfire/Handout via REUTERS© Thomson Reuters
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA, July 17 2026 (Reuters) - Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday said the province would buy 11 new aircraft to help counter fast-spreading wildfires and pushed back against U.S. politicians who have criticized the campaign as inadequate.
Heavy smoke from hundreds of Canadian fires enveloped a swathe of the U.S. from the Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday, prompting warnings to residents to stay indoors.
Ontario will spend C$650 million ($465 million) on five helicopters and six water bombers, Ford told a press conference, saying this was the largest such purchase in its history.
"We will not put a price on the safety of our communities," he said, without giving details of when the planes would arrive.
Ontario has deployed 150 fire crews on the ground and more than 80 water bombers and helicopters.
So far, 650,000 acres (26,300 sq km) are on fire, compared to 600,000 acres at the same time last year.
Ford pushed back against Michigan Republicans who this week criticized Canada's handling of the wildfires.
"... maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help," he said.
"Because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends, and that's what you're supposed to do."
The United States is having an above-average fire year, with 3.7 million acres burned to date in 2026 compared with a 10-year average of 2.7 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The Ontario fires are concentrated in the remote and sparsely populated northwest of the province, where the only mode of transport is airplanes. Thousands of people have been evacuated and at least one community has burned to the ground.
Ontario to buy new aircraft to fight wildfires, says Premier Ford
of firefighting aircraft. By investing $650 million
"This is a very difficult situation, even to fly in to these communities on dirt runways when the fire is going," said Ford.
As of Friday morning, 191 wild land fires were active in Ontario "and those numbers are changing rapidly," Ford said, noting that 81 were considered not under control, 88 were being observed, 11 were being held, and 11 were under control.
($1 = 1.4012 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Deepa Babington and Kevin Liffey)
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday said the province would buy 11 new aircraftOntario buying new aircraft to fight fires, pushes back against US criticism
Story by David Ljunggren
Reuters
A helicopter drops water on the southern flank of the Brunswick Complex wildfires near North Bend, British Columbia, Canada, July 11, 2026. BC Wildfire/Handout via REUTERS© Thomson Reuters
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA, July 17 2026 (Reuters) - Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday said the province would buy 11 new aircraft to help counter fast-spreading wildfires and pushed back against U.S. politicians who have criticized the campaign as inadequate.
Heavy smoke from hundreds of Canadian fires enveloped a swathe of the U.S. from the Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday, prompting warnings to residents to stay indoors.
Ontario will spend C$650 million ($465 million) on five helicopters and six water bombers, Ford told a press conference, saying this was the largest such purchase in its history.
"We will not put a price on the safety of our communities," he said, without giving details of when the planes would arrive.
Ontario has deployed 150 fire crews on the ground and more than 80 water bombers and helicopters.
So far, 650,000 acres (26,300 sq km) are on fire, compared to 600,000 acres at the same time last year.
Ford pushed back against Michigan Republicans who this week criticized Canada's handling of the wildfires.
"... maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help," he said.
"Because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends, and that's what you're supposed to do."
The United States is having an above-average fire year, with 3.7 million acres burned to date in 2026 compared with a 10-year average of 2.7 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The Ontario fires are concentrated in the remote and sparsely populated northwest of the province, where the only mode of transport is airplanes. Thousands of people have been evacuated and at least one community has burned to the ground.
Ontario to buy new aircraft to fight wildfires, says Premier Ford
of firefighting aircraft. By investing $650 million
"This is a very difficult situation, even to fly in to these communities on dirt runways when the fire is going," said Ford.
As of Friday morning, 191 wild land fires were active in Ontario "and those numbers are changing rapidly," Ford said, noting that 81 were considered not under control, 88 were being observed, 11 were being held, and 11 were under control.
($1 = 1.4012 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Deepa Babington and Kevin Liffey)
That will take years for delivery, this will not help combat this year's fires.
Some quickie info.
Canada’s core fleet of water bombers and air tankers consists of approximately 106 aircraft that are considered “dispatch-ready,” meaning they are airworthy and able to fly for wildfire suppression missions
I guess the Canuckistinians spend all their money on fabulous socialized medicine.
Canada vs. U.S. in Forested Areas
Canada has far more forest land than the United States, with nearly three times the total area and a much larger share of its land covered by trees.Forest Area Comparison
- Canada: About 387 million hectares (≈858 million acres) of forest, covering roughly 37–40% of its total land area www.gloomba.com+1. This includes the vast boreal (taiga) forests stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and into the Arctic.
- United States: About 305–304 million hectares (≈303–304 million acres) of forest, covering about 34% of its land area forests.org+1. Much of this is in the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, and parts of the Northeast.
Canada’s core fleet of water bombers and air tankers consists of approximately 106 aircraft that are considered “dispatch-ready,” meaning they are airworthy and able to fly for wildfire suppression missions
The United States operates approximately 565 firefighting aircraft, combining agency-owned and contracted assets.
I guess the Canuckistinians spend all their money on fabulous socialized medicine.
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Mzkitty
I give up.
*choke*gasp*hack*wheeze* thank god I have my breathing meds and AC.
View: https://twitter.com/MaygaSpunky/status/2077763510411350152/video/1
View: https://twitter.com/MaygaSpunky/status/2077763510411350152/video/1
If there was access, they could fight them more aggressively. These are lightening-caused fires in remote wilderness areas.
Blacknarwhal
Three-Time Trump Voter
We were at 403 in SW lower MI yesterday. Today it's 54. But it's supposed to come back up for Sunday.
DHR43
Since 2001
Something wrong with the hectacre to acre conversion there.
"Despite the US having a larger overall landmass". Uh, wrong. A few things. Canadian water bombers were there when California was burning. Where are the American water bombers when Canada needs help? Show me where Alaska has bulldozed fire break grids across the entire state like everyone thinks Canada should do in its' millions of square miles of forrest. Hint; they haven't. It's been a few years but I took a flight that followed the B.C. -Washington border. There was a massive fire burning just on the Washington side of the border, pouring smoke into Canada, nothing being done to contain it. Nobody is to blame here, it is a force of nature. Canada might just as well sanction the US for the occasional hurricanes that follow the east coast up into Canada. Makes about as much sense.
