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Scientists decry Trump’s ‘blame game’ after he claims Canada ‘poisoning’ US air
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- US President Donald Trump accused Canada of "poisoning" US air with smoke from nearly 1,000 Canadian wildfires and threatened tariffs or damages, sparking outrage among scientists and Canadian officials.
- Experts attribute the wildfires primarily to climate change-driven extreme heat and dry conditions, not forest mismanagement, noting that Canada’s vast boreal forests are largely remote and unmanaged.
- Climate scientists criticize Trump’s stance as victim-blaming and highlight that his administration’s fossil fuel policies worsen wildfire risks by accelerating global warming.
- Canadian ecologists emphasize that Trump’s proposed forest "raking" is impractical and could exacerbate fires, given the unique ecosystem and remote locations of the fires.
- Wildfire smoke is a cross-border health hazard affecting both countries, underscoring the need for cooperative climate action rather than political blame-shifting.
