Wildfire season is starting. How Canadian leaders plan to respond

Canada’s wildfire season is getting started but it's not emerging as a hot topic in the federal election campaign so far. Here's what the parties have pledged.

After two of the worst years for wildfires on record, Canada’s fire season is getting started in parts of the country against the backdrop of the federal election.

Wildfire season typically runs from late April or early May until around August. Yet wildfires or climate change in general have largely taken a backseat in the campaign so far.

An Ipsos poll done exclusively for Global News that was released April 13 found that climate change was ranked 12th in terms of key issues for Canadian voters, bumped down from the 10th spot when similar polling was done before the election campaign.

Climate was among the issues discussed in the leaders’ debates last week, but there was little mention of wildfires by the four party leaders in attendance.

But cost of living is the top priority, polling shows — and insurance premiums just keep going up, as do the costs to repair any potential damage amid the trade war.

Severe weather events, including wildfires, led to 2024 becoming the costliest year, with record-breaking losses of $8.5 billion paid out, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

At $1.23 billion, the Jasper wildfire was the second costliest fire event in Canadian history, IBC reported.

As a result of extreme weather events, home insurance rates are on the rise.