The World Is Burning. What Will We Do?

Wildfire smoke, extreme weather, climate change

Skip to: What we can do

For many Canadians, wildfire smoke has become an unwelcome part of summer. We stay indoors. We cancel hikes and bike rides. Children miss outdoor play. Older adults and those with asthma struggle to breathe.

Even hundreds — or thousands — of kilometres from the flames, the fires become part of our daily lives.

It's tempting to think of these fires as isolated natural disasters. But increasingly, they are not.

Climate change is creating hotter temperatures, longer droughts, and forests that are more vulnerable to burning.

While no single wildfire can be blamed entirely on climate change, scientists are clear: a warming world is making fire seasons longer, larger, and more destructive.

And that warming is driven largely by our continued dependence on fossil fuels.

The gasoline in our cars, the "natural" gas that heats many of our buildings, the coal and oil still burned around the world — all release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

The smoke in our skies is a visible reminder that our personal choices, our energy choices, and the health of our world is deeply connected.

The encouraging news is that we are not powerless. Each of us can choose not to be a helpless victim — and instead, bring about positive change.

Every journey made by bicycle, transit, or on foot. Every home insulated. Every heat pump installed. Every solar panel, wind turbine, restored wetland, protected forest, and climate policy. Every person who chooses to build a career helping communities reduce emissions, protect nature, or adapt to a changing climate. Together, these actions add up.

And the solutions don't stop with wildfire smoke. Every step we take helps move us toward a future with cleaner air, a more stable climate, and healthier communities. Over time, these changes reduce the risks of extreme heat, destructive floods, severe storms, crop failures, and many of the economic pressures that accompany them — including rising food and fuel costs. They also lessen the factors that contribute to conflict and war. It's all connected.

The path away from smoky summers is the same path toward healthier communities, stronger local economies, and a more sustainable future. The choices we make today — and the careers we choose — will help ensure that clean air becomes the norm again, not the exception.

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What can you do?

(1) Immediate health & safety

Obviously, protect yourself as best you can from smoke and extreme weather. When air quality is low, don't exercise, stay indoors if possible, keep windows shut. If you must go out, wear an N95 mask or better. Smoke tips: CDC | Canada | WHO | Air Quality (or go to your local forecast, check for any alerts, and click Air Quality).

(2) Climate Action

Live sustainably — Try to minimize your climate impacts / ecological footprint. Drive less, fly less, Act at home. Once you realize that each time you fly you're destroying our lives — will you cancel your air travel? Will you leave the car at home and find another way? Will you turn down the heat or A/C and find a better option? These are just some of the changes we can all make. | Sustainable living

Join climate groups & organizations — they are our voice for change. When you become a member, you join the team that is making a difference. Find one or more groups that interest you, and sign up! Climate Groups & Organizations | Volunteer

Change at work — Is your employer part of the solution? What can you do to help green your workplace? Or better yet, go further...

Make it your career —
If your current employer isn't part of the solution, why are you giving them your time and energy? Is there something better you could be doing with your time, your energy?

There are more ways than ever to make the leap to meaningful, purpose-driven work... thousands of green careers with business, government and nonprofits. | Climate action jobs | GoodWork.ca

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