"Eerie" Yellow Smoke Blankets Cities: Canada Surpasses India for 'Worst Air Quality'

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As regions across the globe suffer from extreme heat, wildfires in Canada are spreading out of control. With the smoke reaching the United States, concerns are growing that it could even impact the upcoming World Cup final.

Reporter Gwak Sang-eun has the story.

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A train is engulfed in bright red flames.

The fire appears ready to swallow the locomotive and the tracks at any moment.

[Train Engineer: I need to move this quickly. Oh, my god!]


Wildfires are spreading uncontrollably, primarily in central regions including Ontario and Manitoba, Canada.

As of July 15, local time, there were 835 active wildfires across Canada.

Of these, 112 are classified as out of control, exceeding the containment capabilities of local authorities.

The nationwide extreme heat is being analyzed as a factor fueling the spread of the fires.

As the wildfire smoke rolled in, the sky over Toronto, Canada's largest city, was blanketed in yellow haze.

At one point, the air pollution level soared to the worst in the world, surpassing Delhi, India.

[Alex Raz/Toronto Resident: The air is so polluted, I don't know what to do. I have an air purifier running constantly at home, and I even have an allergy to smoke.]

This hazardous haze has spread to the United States, affecting states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine, and Massachusetts, where reports of the sky turning yellowish-brown have been pouring in.

Local media outlets have been flooded with reactions, with people describing the scene as "like being on Mars" or "eerie."

[Dan Westervelt/Research Professor at Columbia University: On July 16, air quality in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Great Lakes regions is expected to deteriorate to 'unhealthy' or 'very unhealthy' levels.]

With forecasts predicting the hazardous haze will persist through the latter part of this week, New York City has advised residents to refrain from outdoor activities.

Concerns are rising that the World Cup final, scheduled to be held at an outdoor stadium in New Jersey near New York on July 19, could face disruptions.

Reported by Gwak Sang-eun | Video by Jung Sung-hoon | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jung and Im Chan-hyuk
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.