200 Forest Fires Burned, Most of Them in the Northwest, and Toronto Briefly Had the Worst Air Quality of Any Major City in the World

Within days, the smoke became a cross-border political issue, prompting criticism from U.S. lawmakers and a sharp response from Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Lost in that noise were Ontario's more than 48,000 farms, drawing on guidance spread across multiple organizations to make difficult decisions. Should farm crews remain in the field, and is livestock feed or water safe?

While Canada has announced further investments in tackling wildfires, farm-specific advice remains scattered and unclear. Producers often turn to online peer networks, agronomists, veterinarians and local Indigenous Knowledge Holders when something goes wrong. However, online misinformation is drowning out legitimate advice.

In a 2025 study, researchers surveyed 51 Ontario agri-food professionals about the impacts of misinformation, online toxicity and why they stopped going online for advice. Sixty per cent said they had encountered misinformation often or very often, and over half rated the platforms "not at all effective" at handling it. Around 20 said they had recently reduced or stopped using at least one social media platform, with misinformation the most common reason for leaving.

Dense wildfire smoke can reduce sunlight and constrain corn photosynthesis during critical growth stages. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture warns that smoke can also cause respiratory stress in livestock and cut feed intake, and that ash can contaminate feed supplies and surface water sources. Beef Farmers of Ontario warns that smoke can worsen respiratory illness or mask early signs of infection.

A 2022 study of California farm workers projected wildfire-smoke exposure days rising 35 per cent under future climate conditions. General health advice exists, but the problem is translating it into timely, farm-specific decisions. An Air Quality Health Index reading of 8 tells a producer the human health risk is high, yet it does not provide a livestock-management threshold for deciding whether to move a herd.

During the record 2023 fire season, false claims that fires were deliberately set spread widely online, although reporting showed arson was rare. In ongoing research, experts ranked relational approaches highest: community storytelling, on-farm demonstrations, farmer-to-farmer networks and training advisers to address false claims. Wildfire knowledge becomes actionable through trusted relationships, lived experience and Indigenous land-based approaches.

In July, the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario ran a field day under smoke-filled skies, shortened it for safety and discussed pressures farmers were navigating, including extreme weather. Many Indigenous communities have long used regular, low-intensity cultural burning to manage landscapes before colonial fire suppression became policy. Research with Woodland Cree First Nation shows how land-based knowledge and relationships shape community-led disaster adaptation.

However, governments often pay lip service to Indigenous knowledge without genuinely incorporating it into adaptation and prevention policy. The Senate agriculture committee's June report, Canada on Fire, says Canada's wildfire response remains mostly reactive, mobilizing resources after fires become disasters. Three practical additions could help, including treating advisory services as part of disaster management and prevention.