Canada’s 2024 wildfire season on track to be 2nd largest in last 20 years
Federal officials say above-normal temperatures and drought conditions across parts of Canada have continued to drive fire activity, with 5.3 million hectares burned so far, though they caution that number is preliminary.
Canada’s wildfire season is poised to be the second largest in at least two decades, following only last year’s record-setting season.
Federal officials report that above-normal temperatures and drought conditions in certain areas of Canada have contributed to heightened fire activity, with approximately 5.3 million hectares burned to date, although they note this figure is preliminary.
Aside from last year’s roughly 15 million hectares burned, federal records show that only three other seasons have exceeded 5 million hectares, with the last instance occurring in 1995.
Yan Boulanger, a research scientist at Natural Resources Canada, stated that as wildfire seasons begin earlier and extend later due to climate change, it is becoming “increasingly evident” that Canada must move away from viewing fire activity as a seasonal event and adopt the concept of a continuous fire year.
He added that several of the past ten years have surpassed the 25-year average for area burned, largely due to extreme fire conditions and prolonged seasons linked to climate change.
During a briefing, officials noted that Western Canada is experiencing the most significant impact, with around 70 percent of the total area burned this year located in British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan.
