Canada has already surpassed a year's worth of charred land from wildfires
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Wildfires across Canada are devouring land at a pace unseen in any year other than the historic 2023 season.
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With more than 3.15 million hectares burned, according to Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre data, the season has already raced past the annual average, even when including the past two major fire seasons.
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The 25-year average for land burned is 2.95 million hectares. This year's tally is poised to finish well above normal.
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Dozens of active wildfires are burning from northern British Columbia and Alberta in a belt extending southeastward to Ontario. Many new blazes have started in recent weeks as a result of lightning, which is a common fire starter. The most intense fire activity has shifted its focus westward over recent days, partly a result of high heat in the country's west and increased rainfall in central Canada.
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The wildfires, mostly burning in dense boreal forest, continue to send thick smoke far from the source. Much of southwest and south-central Canada is under an air quality alert Tuesday, including the cities of Edmonton and Regina, where air quality reached Code Red levels in the morning.
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-British Columbia has two of those huge out-of-control conflagrations, among 86 active wildfires there, including one closing in on 200,000 hectares in the province's far north that is suspected to have carried over from last year after smoldering through the winter. Another to its south grew rapidly during recent days, past 120,000 hectares, leading to evacuation orders for rural indigenous First Nations regions Sunday.
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-To the east, in Alberta, there are 60 active fires, five of which are 50,000 hectares or larger and classified as out of control. The largest fire, sparked by lightning and mostly burning north of Edmonton, in oil country and forestland, was past 130,000 hectares as of Monday.
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-Central Saskatchewan's Shoe Fire – 161 kilometres north of Saskatoon – is the largest in the nation overall, now past 500,000 hectares in size. Despite improving conditions, evacuations from 33 rural communities continue, according to local reports. The entire area had notable rainfall in recent days, which has assisted in reducing imminent risks. Hotspots persist, especially on the southern flank.
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Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
Canada has already surpassed a year's worth of charred land from wildfires
Article content Wildfires across Canada are devouring land at a pace unseen in any year other than the historic 2023 season. Article content With more than 3.15 million hectares burned, according to Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre data, the season has already raced past the annual average, even when including the past two major fire seasons. Article content Article content The 25-year average for land burned is 2.95 million hectares. This year's tally is poised to finish well above normal. Article content Article content Dozens of active wildfires are burning from northern British Columbia and Alberta in a belt extending southeastward to Ontario. Many new blazes have started in recent weeks as a result of lightning, which is a common fire starter. The most intense fire activity has shifted its focus westward over recent days, partly a result of high heat in the country's west and increased rainfall in central Canada. Article content Article content The wildfires, mostly burning in dense boreal forest, continue to send thick smoke far from the source. Much of southwest and south-central Canada is under an air quality alert Tuesday, including the cities of Edmonton and Regina, where air quality reached Code Red levels in the morning. Article content Article content -British Columbia has two of those huge out-of-control conflagrations, among 86 active wildfires there, including one closing in on 200,000 hectares in the province's far north that is suspected to have carried over from last year after smoldering through the winter. Another to its south grew rapidly during recent days, past 120,000 hectares, leading to evacuation orders for rural indigenous First Nations regions Sunday. Article content -To the east, in Alberta, there are 60 active fires, five of which are 50,000 hectares or larger and classified as out of control. The largest fire, sparked by lightning and mostly burning north of Edmonton, in oil country and forestland, was past 130,000 hectares as of Monday. Article content -Central Saskatchewan's Shoe Fire – 161 kilometres north of Saskatoon – is the largest in the nation overall, now past 500,000 hectares in size. Despite improving conditions, evacuations from 33 rural communities continue, according to local reports. The entire area had notable rainfall in recent days, which has assisted in reducing imminent risks. Hotspots persist, especially on the southern flank.
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Military evacuates hundreds as wildfires rip through northern Ontario
More than 900 people have been evacuated from a remote community in northern Ontario using massive military transport planes as out-of-control wildfires spread across the province. On Sunday, Ontario asked the federal government to dispatch military personnel to help evacuate the community of Sandy Lake after a nearby fire expanded, doubling in size toward the edge of town in a few hours. Defence personnel said they had evacuated more than 900 people by Monday afternoon. The evacuations mark the latest twist in an already busy fire season in the province, one critics argue the Ontario government failed to prepare for. Data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre shows that the area of Ontario burned so far this year is already 38 times higher than it was last year. Story continues below advertisement The province has recorded 174 fires to date, compared with 97 last year. The 174 fires so far this year are above the five- and 10-year average for Ontario. For years, advocates, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and internal documents have all warned Ontario is unprepared for a major fire season. A government task force report in 2016, for example, warned that wildland forest fire rangers were quitting at an alarming rate and were being replaced with a dwindling number of inexperienced recruits. An aging fleet of waterbombers and other firefighting planes has also been hit with problems that saw them grounded for periods last summer. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Advocates and the union representing front-line firefighters have advocated for better pay to attract more full-time firefighters. They have also pushed to be reclassified as an emergency service to improve cancer coverage and for more year-round career opportunities. As of Monday, Ontario is mounting a full response to six out-of-control fires and another seven under control. The 13 fires total 216,225 hectares in size. With the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre rating the province's current ability to respond as 'poor,' the province has been forced to call in fresh resources. Two CL-415 water bombers were sent to the province Monday, according to the fire centre. Firefighters from other provinces were also shipped in to help, along with a team of five from Wisconsin. Story continues below advertisement Those fighting fire on the front lines have experienced close to three-week work stints without a break and fear burnout. 'Short staffing hasn't meant we have more fire on the landscape than we would have if we were fully staffed, but it means we're already on our second group of imported crews from B.C.,' said Eric Davidson, Ontario Wildfire Association president. Davidson, who has been fighting fire in Ontario for 12 years, spoke to Global News to share his experience, not on behalf of the Ontario government or its firefighting operations. 'It means many crews are already on their second 19-day stretch,' he continued. 'If the summer continues like the spring, it won't take long to burn everyone out. Right now, crews get off a fire and are right back into the top of the alert rotation.' Ontario NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa, whose riding includes the Sandy Lake community being evacuated, said the government had ignored warnings that the fire program was unprepared. 'I think over the last few summers, we've been warning people, letting the government know that we need to be prepared,' he said. 'We need to have the proper resources, proper planes and also planning to do the evacuations.' He suggested that, with better resources, the worst of the current fires 'perhaps could have (been) avoided.' Story continues below advertisement Global News asked the government about short-staffing on crews, but the Ministry of Natural Resources did not address the question. A spokesperson said there were more than 50 helicopters and water bombers involved in the firefighting.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
‘When our mates need help, Australia is there': Canada gets help fighting wildfires
People stop along a highway as a large active wildfire fills the sky with smoke in the background in the La Ronge, Sask., area in an undated handout photo. (Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency) As wildfires continue to burn from northwest Ontario to British Columbia, Canada is getting help from near and far, and very far. Southern Highlands - New South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia says a 96-personnel-strong Australian contingent of firefighters and specialists have deployed to Canada for five weeks. The service says the deployment is in response to a request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says in a tweet that, 'When our mates need help, Australia is there.' A post on social media platform X from the official account for the Australian High Commissioner to Canada, Kate Logan, says the crews 'are on their way to support their Canadian colleagues battle wildfires in Alberta.' In Manitoba alone, the number of evacuees from fires has reached 21,000, and crews have come from other provinces and the United States. 'Thank you to our brave Aussie firefighters heading to help battle the Alberta wildfires in Canada. Stay safe and thank you for your service,' Albanese said on the social media platform X on Monday. Australia also sent firefighters to Canada in 2024 to help fight a massive blaze that forced the evacuation of Jasper National Park, as well as other fires earlier that month in British Columbia. The Yukon government, meanwhile, says it is sending 20 sustained-action firefighters to fight wildfires in Alberta and will be there for nearly three weeks. Thousands also remained out of their homes in Saskatchewan and Alberta, including between 10,000 and 15,000 in Saskatchewan alone. In British Columbia, the provincial wildfire service said Monday that crews were preparing for 'extreme fire behaviour' in the province's northeast as a second dry cold front was forecast to move through. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Rob Drinkwater, The Canadian Press
