More than 850 wildfires are burning across Canada, and hundreds of them remain out of control. For many people, the first sign of the disaster is the smoke drifting across the border into the United States. But for the communities living in the path of the flames, the reality is far more devastating. In northern Ontario, residents of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation were forced to flee as wildfire tore through their community. With roads cut off, some families escaped in small 12- and 14-foot boats across the water while flames consumed their homes. When it was over, Chief Helen Paavola delivered the heartbreaking news. “All the homes are gone. There’s nothing left.” More than 30 homes were destroyed, along with the band’s office, the school, and the community centre. Families lost not only their houses but much of the community they had built over generations. The smoke covering American cities is real, and poor air quality affects millions of people. But that smoke is only the visible reminder of a much larger tragedy unfolding in Canada, where families have lost everything, firefighters continue battling hundreds of active blazes, and entire communities face the long road to rebuilding. Instead of blaming Canada for the smoke, remember the people living beneath it. Sometimes what reaches your sky as haze began as someone else’s home.