Canadian wildfire smoke blankets eastern US, disrupting travel and outdoor events

NEW YORK — Smoke from massive wildfires burning in Canada continued to blanket large parts of the eastern United States on Friday, prompting widespread air quality alerts, disrupting transportation and outdoor activities, and forcing the postponement of a Major League Baseball game.Air quality warnings remained in effect across parts of the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, with forecasters warning that smoky conditions could persist into next week as hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in Canada.The smoke shrouded Washington, D.C., in a thick haze, obscuring landmarks including the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, while cities such as Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland recorded some of the world’s poorest air quality, according to monitoring service IQAir.In Ohio, the Major League Baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed because of unhealthy air conditions.Authorities urged residents, particularly children, older adults and people with heart or respiratory conditions, to remain indoors and limit outdoor activities until air quality improves. Health officials warned that prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can worsen respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.The smoke originated from large wildfires burning across northern Ontario and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, where officials have closed parts of the area as firefighters battle the blazes.Meteorologists said changing winds and forecast thunderstorms could temporarily improve conditions in some areas over the weekend, although the fires remain largely uncontrolled and smoke is expected to continue affecting different parts of the United States.The poor air quality also raised concerns ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, although forecasters said conditions are expected to improve before kickoff.Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Canada’s forest management in a social media post and threatened additional tariffs, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford called for cooperation, noting that Canada has repeatedly assisted the United States in combating major wildfires.Hundreds of wildfires are currently burning across Canada, including about 190 in northern Ontario, forcing evacuations in several communities and destroying parts of at least one Indigenous community.