Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Saturday criticized the Trump administration and congressional Republicans for their criticism of Canada’s handling of widespread wildfires, calling the remarks "totally unacceptable."

Speaking at a press conference in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Ford described the situation as a "terrible scenario," with approximately 655,000 hectares (about 2,528 square miles) burning across the province. He expressed sympathy for those affected, saying, "My heart breaks for the people who’ve lost their homes or their camps and their businesses."

More than 100 million Americans are currently under air quality alerts as smoke from the Canadian wildfires, as well as fires in northern Minnesota, drifts into the United States, posing serious health risks.

President Trump had threatened on Friday to impose additional tariffs on Canada, accusing the Canadian government of "willful negligence" and failing to engage in "basic Forest Management." Trump blamed Canada for the heavy smoke affecting parts of the U.S. Midwest and East Coast, stating on Truth Social that the U.S. is being "unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air," which he called "dangerous, and totally unacceptable," and costing the U.S. "billions of dollars."

Trump also said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the wildfires.

Ford called the rhetoric from some in the U.S. "shameful," emphasizing cooperation by saying, "That’s what neighbors do, right?" He added that if the roles were reversed, Canadians would "be down there without hesitation."

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, as of Saturday EDT, 191 wildfires were reported in Ontario.

Sources