Canada only 'halfway through' record-breaking wildfire season: officials
CTV
Drought conditions and above-normal temperatures are expected to cause abnormally intense wildfires across Canada in July and into August, the federal government said Thursday.
Drought conditions and above-normal temperatures are expected to cause abnormally intense wildfires across Canada in July and into August, the federal government said Thursday.
“Drought is a major contributing factor affecting parts of all provinces and territories and intensifying in some regions,” Michael Norton, director general of the Northern Forestry Centre at Natural Resources Canada, said during a technical briefing.
“When coupled with forecasts for ongoing above-normal temperatures across most of the country, it is anticipated that many parts of Canada will continue to see above-normal fire activity.”
In July, warm and dry conditions are expected to increase wildfire risk from British Columbia and Yukon across the country all the way to western Labrador.
Fire risk is expected to shrink slightly in August, but will still stretch from British Columbia through to western Quebec.
As of Wednesday, there have been a total of 3,412 forest fires in the country this season, well above the 10-year average of 2,751.
Fires are burning simultaneously from coast to coast. Currently, there are 649 active fires across Canada, 353 of which are burning out of control.
