Millions of Americans are suffering from hazy skies and poor air quality due to Canadian wildfires. The smoke has drifted across the border, affecting the Atlantic seaboard to the Midwest, and causing health risks for seniors and people with respiratory conditions.

Regulatory System Failing

America’s own regulatory system allows forests to grow overgrown, increasing the risk of catastrophic fires. The system prioritizes environmental reviews over proactive forest management, leading to devastating consequences.

The Clean Air Act has established regulations for six critical air pollutants, most of which are found in wildfire smoke. However, more needs to be done to prevent such disasters. The Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act and the Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act are two pieces of legislation that aim to address this issue.

Legislative Solutions

The FIRE Act allows states to perform prescribed burns without being penalized, while the FENCES Act clarifies that states should not be held accountable for foreign emissions. These bills are crucial in preventing catastrophic wildfires and protecting American communities.

Canadian researchers have noted that wildfire smoke is becoming a recurring feature of Canadian summers. It is unacceptable for American communities to be punished by wildfires raging outside of their borders. The Senate must pass the FIRE and FENCES Acts to address this issue.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.