Canada braces for above-normal wildfire risk in June, July

Canada is in a much better place than it was last year, but there is a risk of 'above-normal' fire activity in the coming months, officials warned Wednesday.

Despite an early start to the 2024 wildfire season, Canada is in a much better place than it was last year, but there is a risk of “above-normal” fire activity in the coming months, officials warned Wednesday.

A total of 69 active fires were burning across Canada as of Wednesday, including eight deemed out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Most of the wildfire activity at the moment is occurring in Alberta and British Columbia, with a few fires of note in Quebec, officials said.

“Unfortunately, this forecasting continues what has become an alarming but an all too predictable trend,” said Natural Resources Minster Jonathan Wilkinson.

“Climate forecast indicates that the coming summer months will likely be warmer than normal in most of Canada, with parts of the country seeing less rainfall than normal,” he said at a news conference in Ottawa.

For the month of June, Wilkinson said there is a higher likelihood of above-normal fire activity across much of Canada, stretching from B.C. to western Labrador, New Brunswick, and southern Nova Scotia.

In July, fire activity is possible from Yukon and eastern B.C. across to western Quebec. The most intense region for July will likely be from northeastern B.C. across the Northwest Territories and the Prairie provinces.

“This forecast underscores the importance of wildfire mitigation and of course of climate adaptation,” said Wilkinson, adding that climate change was the root cause of the increasing frequency and intensity of forest fires.