Wildfire Smoke Threatens to Cast Shadow Over G7 Summit

World leaders gathering in Alberta for the upcoming G7 Summit might face smoke warnings due to rampant wildfires across Canada, marking the nation's second-most severe fire season in decades.

Although the Kananaskis area, the summit's venue in the Canadian Rockies, remains outside wildfire zones, nearby regions are grappling with about 225 blazes, 120 of which are uncontrolled. Officials have issued air quality warnings for Calgary, the closest urban center to Kananaskis, as shifts in wind direction could alter smoke concentration rapidly.

Provinces in the east are experiencing smoke extending to the U.S. east coast. Although rain has recently fallen in western Canada, it hasn't sufficed to subdue the fires, which have consumed 3.7 million hectares to date, making it the second-largest burnt area in decades. Authorities are preparing for the G7 Summit by instituting safety measures against wildfires and other hazards like tornadoes and floods, while over tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes.

(With inputs from agencies.)