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last mo.

Canada Battles Second-Worst Wildfire Season With 3.7 Million Hectares Burned

Ottawa evaluates plans for a national emergency response framework following mass evacuations triggered by relentless wildfires

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Smoke rises from the Summit Lake wildfire, west of Fort Nelson, B.C., on June 3. Federal officials say this season is on track to become Canada's second-worst wildfire season.

Overview

  • Federal data show 3.7 million hectares have burned this season—six times the size of Prince Edward Island—making it the second-largest area on record.
  • Wildfires have forced thousands of residents in multiple provinces, including Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario, to evacuate their homes.
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts higher-than-normal temperatures through August, intensifying wildfire risks in central and western regions.
  • Public Safety Canada projects southern British Columbia will face its peak fire danger in July, with elevated risks also in the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
  • The government is exploring options to create a national emergency response agency after criticism over its absence in managing consecutive severe fire seasons.