![\"TOPSHOT](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2285609475-GI.JPG\" "\\"People")
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People walk in downtown Toronto, as smoke from forest fires in Northern Ontario causes poor air quality over the city, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 15, 2026. Northwestern Ontario thanks California donors for cross-border support as communities recover from Thunder Bay 36 and 121 other active wildfires this summer.<\/p>\n
COLE BURSTON<\/p>\n
AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
As communities across Northwestern Ontario continue recovering from this summer\u2019s devastating wildfires, I want to thank the many Americans who have reached across the border to help.<\/p>\n
Among the hundreds of Americans who have donated were residents from communities across California.<\/p>\n
One supporter from Chico shared a message that reflected both compassion and understanding: \u201cI feel deep empathy and sympathy for our Canadian friends. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires, and I\u2019ll contribute to wildfire relief for both our countries as much as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those words meant a great deal to us because Californians understand something many people never experience firsthand: wildfire doesn\u2019t simply burn forests. It disrupts lives, scatters families, threatens wildlife and leaves communities facing a long road to recovery.<\/p>\n
As of Sunday, northwestern Ontario has 122 active wildfires<\/a>, the largest of which is Thunder Bay 36 \u2014 which is now also the largest wildfire in Ontario\u2019s history<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the midst of this fire, we have received messages of support from people across the United States \u2014 from Maine to Oregon, and from New York to Florida. Some spoke of Canada\u2019s history of helping Americans during times of crisis. Others simply wanted people they had never met to know they were not alone.<\/p>\n At a time when headlines often emphasize what divides our countries, these acts of kindness tell a different story. They remind us that compassion can travel farther than smoke and that people who understand hardship are often the first to reach out.<\/p>\n On behalf of the people and communities of Northwestern Ontario, I want to say thank you. The generosity of Californians has reminded us that while wildfires may occur on opposite sides of a border, compassion knows no boundaries.<\/p>\n