Canada faces rising wildfire threat amid dry, hot summer

Canada’s wildfire activity is expected to rise significantly through August, with extreme fire danger in the west. Over 3,000 fires have burned 5.5 million hectares so far this year.

Ottawa: Wildfire activity is expected to continue to increase and persist at well-above-average levels over much of western Canada by August, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources said.

In a wildfire update, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson delivered the latest national wildfire forecast, saying the highest fire danger is in southern British Columbia, Xinhua news agency reported.

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The minister said weather forecasts point to above-average temperatures across much of Canada from July through August, with dry conditions expected to intensify in the coming weeks, particularly in the west and north.

Based on these weather forecasts, Natural Resources Canada’s modeling predicted elevated wildfire risk from Yukon eastward to northwestern Ontario, and in Nova Scotia and eastern New Brunswick, said Hodgson.

Hodgson reported that over 3,000 wildfires have occurred across the country as of July this year, burning approximately 5.5 million hectares.

The minister also announced an investment of nearly 11.7 million Canadian dollars ($8.5 million) over four years to establish the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada, which will serve as a national center of excellence and virtual hub for wildland fire innovation and knowledge.