Mapping Canada's Wildfire Season

Canada has been facing a fierce wildfire season, breaking records in terms of the area burned. As of October 19, 2023, over 18 million hectares have been consumed by wildfires, which is more than six times the average of the past decade and two and a half times the previous record set in 1995. This staggering extent of wildfires has severe implications for Canada's forests. Canada is the third most forested country in the world, and the forest sector contributes substantially to the economy - $25.2 billion annually and is responsible for the livelihood of more than 184,000 people. These forests also house upwards of 70% of indigenous communities in Canada which makes the impact of these wildfires crucial to mitigate. 

The primary cause of this wildfire season can be attributed to extreme weather conditions, characterised by hot and dry weather, making the forest highly susceptible to fires; in tandem with this, there is the concerning trend of record-breaking hot summers. In May, northern Canada experienced temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above the normal, which significantly primed these regions for fire outbreaks. Despite the record-breaking scale of wildfires, the total number of fires has not significantly increased. This suggests that while the number of fires hasn't risen dramatically, their intensity and the duration of the fire season have increased. Fires have burned for months, generating their own weather systems and have severely affected wildlife habitats as well. 

Areas most affected by wildfires in 2023 show a stark contrast with the previous year. The impacts on wildlife, the forestry industry, and the environment are wide-ranging. As Canada's boreal forest, which was once a carbon sink, becomes a carbon source due to the fires, it releases more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs. This change contributes to the global issue of climate change. The arrival of El Niño is another likely contributor to an exacerbated wildfire season in 2024. This highlights the growing unpredictability and severity of wildfires, making it essential for Canada to prepare for the future and develop strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

To sum it all up, Canada has experienced a record-breaking wildfire season this year. Factors such as the area of forest area burned, the duration and intensity of wildfires, and the immense impact on overall sustainability and number of people affected have contributed to this wildfire season. The likelihood of increased severity of wildfires in Canada in the years to come  paints a convincing and alarming picture and calls for urgent climate action.

SOURCE: CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/wildfire-season-2023-wrap-1.6999005