Forests burning in Canada, Mont-Blanc shrouded in smoke

A veil of smoke hangs over Mont-Blanc. This mountain, the highest peak in Western Europe, has become a collateral victim of forest fires in Canada! The smoke has crossed the Atlantic.

The wildfire season is especially intense and early this year. Since spring, 3.5 million hectares have been affected by these fires. In total, 160 wildfires have been recorded since mid-May 2025. The provinces most affected are Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan. There are also fires in the west of the country, near Vancouver, where towns have been evacuated as a precaution.

Smoke reaches Europe

The smoke from these wildfires can rise quite high in the atmosphere and follow air currents. As a result, some of it has crossed the Atlantic and settled around Mont-Blanc. The mountain, straddling the French-Italian border, is the highest point in the Alps, and acts as a barrier, trapping the smoke. A layer of stagnant smoke has thus been observed. Authorities have reassured people: this high-altitude smoke does not have any harmful effects on air quality in the region. It's expected to continue moving in the coming days and will eventually dissipate naturally.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: Le Soir – Photo: © Unsplash)