Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday rejected criticism from President Donald Trump over wildfire smoke drifting into the United States, calling the blazes a natural disaster and accusing the U.S. president of failing to support a close ally.

Speaking at a news conference in Toronto, Ford responded after Trump blamed Canada for smoke from nearly 200 wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario that have degraded air quality on both sides of the border.

"Rather than sit there and complain, why don't we see some help from President Trump? Send up some water bombers, send up some wildland firefighters," he said.

"They have thousands of fires going in the U.S. right now, but you don't hear Canada ever complain."

Trump criticized Canada in a Friday post on Truth Social, saying the country was failing to properly manage its forests and brush and that smoke crossing the border was creating hazardous air quality in the United States.

“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!" Trump wrote.

Ford dismissed the criticism, describing the fires as a natural occurrence rather than the result of poor management.

"The fires are an act of Mother Nature," he said.

Ford added that wildfires are a global challenge affecting countries around the world.

“It happens around the world. No matter if it's France or Ireland or other places around the world, in Australia, we just believe in supporting our neighbors," he said.

"And it's unfortunate that the president doesn't believe in supporting our neighbors."

Ford's response came as wildfires continued burning across Canada, sending smoke into parts of the United States.