A fire in the province of British Columbia, Canada (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
According to several experts, the combination of drought and high temperatures will result in a worsening of the season, already the worst in the country’s history
In the last three months, thousands of wildfires have erupted in Canada, burning 90,000 square kilometers and breaking a record that had lasted 34 years: it is already the worst wildfire season in the country’s history. But things could get worse: Some state officials have said many more likely severe and widespread fires will develop in the coming weeks due to high temperatures expected in late July and into August.
Wildfires are common in Canada during the June to August season, especially in the western provinces, but this year they have been around since May, especially in the eastern ones. In April, fires broke out in British Columbia and Alberta in western Canada. In the following weeks they had also formed in the East, in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC), there were 3,675 larger and larger fires this year than in the past, 20 percent more than the average over the past decade. Around 155,000 people had to leave their homes, at least temporarily. There are currently 807 active fires.
The worst summer to date was 1989, when around 78,000 square kilometers of forest burned over the course of the season. Experts say this year’s dates are “off the charts” with the season still more than two months away. “It is no understatement to say that this fire season will continue to set multiple records,” said Michael Norton, chief executive of the Northern Forestry Centre.
Fires take advantage of unusual weather conditions favored by climate change, which are becoming more frequent. The high temperatures measured in Canada have caused the snow to melt faster and the vegetation to dry out. In the event of lightning strikes or arson, plants burn down much faster and fires spread quickly.
In recent days, 34°C has been reached in northern Quebec, a hotter temperature than cities much further south like Miami. “Drought is a significant factor affecting all Canadian provinces and is even more severe in some regions,” Norton continued. “The combination of drought and above-average temperatures leads us to predict that anomalous fires will continue to occur in many parts of Canada.”
Around 3,800 firefighters are on duty in Canada to extinguish the fires. Another 1,800 firefighters have traveled from other countries: Canada has signed cooperation agreements with the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, France, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and Chile.
Wildfires in Canada continue to affect many northern US cities due to smoke carried by air currents. Air conditions have prompted city governments to restrict outdoor activities: Swimming pools, water parks and children’s summer camps have been closed in Cleveland and Madison. Many cities also offer shelters for homeless people during the day, usually only at night, and wearing surgical masks outdoors is recommended. Smoke from the Canadian fires also crossed the Atlantic and reached Europe.
– Also read: Fires in Canada continue to fill many American cities with smoke
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