2023 Canadian wildfires

2023 Canadian wildfires
Top-to-bottom, left-to-right: Wildfires in western Canada Wildfire smoke in Calgary Wildfire smoke in Minneapolis Wildfires in Nova Scotia Wildfire smoke over the US East Coast
Date(s)	March 1, 2023  –  present
Location	Canada (11 out of 13 provinces and territories)
Statistics
Total fires	2,300+ (as of June 10)
Total area	4,300,000 ha (10,600,000 acres)
Impacts
Evacuated	126,000 people

Beginning in March 2023 and increasing in intensity around June, Canada has been affected by an ongoing record-setting series of wildfires. As the worst wildfire season in Canadian history, eleven provinces and territories have been affected, with large fires in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.

As of June 5, 2,214 fires have burned 43,000 square kilometres (10,600,000 acres). As of June 6, there were 413 active wildfires, 249 of which were deemed "out of control". Smoke emitted from the wildfires has caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Background

File:Animation of Canada drought map since Febuarary 2023.gif

Animation of Canada drought map since February 2023

In general, the total number of wildfires has decreased while the total area burned has increased, though there is variability between years. In Canada, wildfire season usually starts in May. The 2023 fires have been compared to the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire and the 2021 Lytton wildfire. Canada lacks a national firefighting service, and local resources are stretched thin due to budget cuts.

Due to climate change, weather has been warmer and drier, raising wildfire risk as vegetation is more flammable. Wind exacerbates the issues. Roughly half of all wildfires in Canada are caused by lightning; due to climate change, lightning strikes are happening more frequently. Lightning-caused fires account for about 85 percent of land burned. Lightning-caused fires often happen in clusters in remote locations. Canadian Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair said: "Due to climate change, similar extreme weather events may continue to increase in both frequency and severity across our country."

The other half of wildfires in Canada are human-caused, often unintentionally sparked by things such as discarded cigarette butts, abandoned smoldering campfires, or sparks from braking trains. Forest management is also a factor in the wildfires. Canada has largely stopped performing controlled burns, which help reduce the risk of larger and more dangerous fires. Controlled burns are very hard to get permission to do in Canada, especially for Indigenous groups who have practiced them for a long time and are disproportionately affected by wildfires.

Pollution due to a global increase in wildfires has created widespread, long-term impacts on human health.

Alberta

Main article: 2023 Alberta wildfires

As of May, Alberta was the province most impacted by wildfires. In Alberta, the causes of fires are generally unknown. On May 6, the province of Alberta declared a provincial state of emergency. By May 7, 108 active fires were burning in the province. The provincial state of emergency ended on June 3. As of June 7, the province said there had been 591 reported wildfires in the province since March.

Evacuations

Multiple settlements were placed under evacuation orders, resulting in over 29,000 Albertans being evacuated by May 7. On May 11, at least 300 members of the Canadian Armed Forces were sent to different parts of Alberta to help.

Evacuation orders were issued for multiple communities throughout the province. On April 29, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the hamlets of Evansburg and Entwistle, due to two wildfires in their vicinity. The evacuation order was lifted on May 3, only for it to be reinstated on May 4, due to the fires increasing in size.

The community of Fox Lake, on the Fox Lake 162 reserve, was issued an evacuation order May 3, with all residents being evacuated by May 5. As of May 11, the local police station, general store, and at least 100 homes had been destroyed by fire. The town of Drayton Valley, approximately 133 km (83 mi) southwest of Edmonton, was issued an evacuation order on May 4. The local fire department reported that one structure had been lost.

On May 5, the hamlet of Nordegg and the Big Horn 144A reserve were issued an evacuation order due to nearby wildfires. Also on May 5, evacuation orders were issued for the town of Edson due to multiple nearby wildfires. On May 6, the town of Fox Creek and the hamlet of Little Smoky were issued an evacuation order.

On May 13, the community of Chateh issued an evacuation order due to the Long Lake Fire (HWF-036) making a 25 kilometre run towards the community. On May 14, the community of Chipewyan Lake was issued an evacuation order due to an out-of-control wildfire starting north of the community.

Residents of Rainbow Lake were allowed to return on June 2.

More than 3,000 Albertans remained under evacuation orders as of June 8. On June 9, residents of Edson and Yellowhead County were asked to evacuate.

Governmental response

On May 9, the government of Yukon sent 21 firefighters to assist crews in Alberta. The team returned to Yukon on May 24. Another 21-person team returned to Alberta on May 31.

British Columbia

British Columbia saw an unusual lack of rain in May and early June, leading to increased wildfire conditions in the province. In British Columbia, about 60 percent of wildfires are caused by lightning, while the remainder are due to human activity.

The province saw multiple wildfires in early June, in or near Peachland, and on Vancouver Island Port Alberni, Sayward. As of June 2, there were 54 active fires in the region. Officials estimated about half of the province's wildfires were caused by human action.

In northeastern British Columbia, the Donnie Creek wildfire became the second single largest wildfire in the province's history, behind the 2017 Plateau Fire. By late afternoon on June 5, the fire was burning over an area of 2,656.5 square kilometres (1,025.7 sq mi).

Evacuations

In early May, some British Columbia residents evacuated their homes due to out-of-control wildfires there.

Around May 22, residents were evacuated from near Tzenzaicut Lake, about 600 kilometres (370 mi) north of Vancouver.

In early June, officials recommended that British Columbians be prepared to evacuate if need be. On June 7, the community of One Island Lake was evacuated. On June 8, the community of Tumbler Ridge was evacuated.

Governmental response

The province planned to put campfire bans in place on June 8, to stay in effect until October. International fire crews also came to British Columbia from five countries. Natural Resources Canada, with its Fire Weather Index, also tracked the wildfires and issued warnings.

Manitoba

As of June 6, there had been 70 fires in Manitoba, which was actually below the province's average wildfires for that point in the season. Compared to past years, human caused fires were less frequent, with lightning causing the majority of the fires.

As of May 27, there were six active wildfires in the province, including a fire near Cross Lake First Nation and Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

On June 2, Manitoba only had three wildfires active in the province. However, lightning over June 3 and 4 raised the total fire count to 12 by June 5, and to 14 by June 6. Of those 14, four were considered out of control.

On June 6, officials were focused on monitoring and containing fires near Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi First Nation, and St. Theresa Point First Nation.

Evacuations

Approximately 7,000 members of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation were evacuated on May 24; most residents were able to return by May 26.

Governmental response

Travel restrictions were placed in southeastern Manitoba on May 27. Provincial burn permits for the area were cancelled, with the exception of burn permits for essential operations that had been approved by a conservation officer and which had had a site inspection.

The government of Manitoba was not sending firefighters to assist other provinces in early June, due to concerns about Manitoba's fire risk.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick had experienced 177 wildfires as of June 7, with four still active, including fires in West Branch, Alnwick Parish, and Valley Road in Kars.

A fire near Saint Andrews, which had started on May 28, was brought under control on June 5.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador saw 34 wildfires before May 1, far outpacing the 2022 season, which saw only 2 fires in that same period. This was attributed to dry conditions. Between May 1 and 19, 19 other fires were recorded. Wet conditions in early June created a low fire risk for Newfoundland, allowing water bombers from Newfoundland to be deployed to assist with firefighting efforts in Labrador, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

On June 8, there were 72 active wildfires in the province.

Northwest Territories

As of June 7, there were eleven active wildfires in the Northwest Territories. At that point, there had been 21 total fires, affecting 403,815 hectares (997,850 acres).

Evacuations

The K'at'lodeeche First Nation of the Hay River Reserve, and the residents of Hay River were evacuated on May 14. The 3,000 residents of Hay River were allowed to return on May 24, while the 300 members of the K'at'lodeeche First Nation were not able to return until June 7.

On May 31, the residents of Sambaa K'e were evacuated to Fort Simpson.

Governmental response

Although Nova Scotia sent a team of 20 firefighters to the NWT on May 25, they were recalled on May 29 due to the worsening wildfire situation in their home province.

On June 6, the Canadian government announced that they and the Government of the Northwest Territories would match United Way donations for disaster relief in the region.

Nova Scotia

Main article: 2023 Nova Scotia wildfires

Nova Scotia saw the largest recorded wildfires in its history. On June 1, there were four out-of-control fires in the province. In suburban Halifax, an estimated 200 structures were destroyed by fire. By June 1, the Halifax fire was 50% contained, but was not considered under control. At the time, no missing people or injuries from the Halifax fire were reported. By June 4, the Halifax fire was 100% contained.

The Barrington Lake fire in Shelburne County, which started May 27, covered 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi) at its largest. On June 7, officials announced it was successfully contained. As of this date, the fire had destroyed 60 residences and 150 other structures.

Evacuations

In late-May, the communities of Hammonds Plains, Pockwock, and Upper Tantallon were put under evacuation orders. 16,000 residents were evacuated from Halifax. The Halifax Regional Municipality opened several centres for evacuees. On June 2, some residents were permitted to briefly return to their homes to survey damage; however, due to other safety risks, no evacuees were allowed to return permanently. This was a source of frustration for evacuees, along with what some residents deemed to be "communication failures" from the provincial government.

Residents near Shelburne were evacuated on May 31; the total number of evacuees from Shelburne County numbered about 5,000. Several local farmers also evacuated their animals to the county's exhibition grounds. Nova Scotia provided free camping at several locations for people displaced by the fire in Shelburne.

Governmental response

To prevent further fires, all open fires were banned province-wide on May 29. On May 30, hiking, camping, fishing, and the use of vehicles in the woods were banned in all forests in the province until June 25, or until conditions allow them to be lifted. The Halifax Regional Municipality also closed all heavily wooded city parks on May 31.

All schools in Shelburne County and several schools in Halifax Regional Municipality were closed in response to the fires.

In late-May, New London, Prince Edward Island sent a team of four firefighters to assist crews in Nova Scotia. On May 29, Newfoundland and Labrador sent two waterbombers to the province. In early June, a six-person team from Alberta came to the province to assist in assessing fire damage to property and infrastructure.

Financial relief

The provincial government issued an initial emergency payment of $500 to all evacuated households in the immediate aftermath of the fires. Additionally, the Canadian government established a donation matching program with the Nova Scotian government and the Canadian Red Cross to support those affected by the fires.

On June 7, the provincial government announced it would give a one-time grant of $2,500 to registered farmers in Halifax and Shelburne County who had been under mandatory evacuation orders.

Aftermath

Delays, possibly up to three years, in rebuilding houses are expected, due to the province's construction backlog.

Ontario

Smoke from the fires caused air quality in Ottawa, Toronto, as well as most of Southern Ontario on June 5–7 to hit the highest level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, the worst in the province of Ontario. Air quality also hit the highest level in Kingston and Belleville, Ontario.

Quebec

Main article: 2023 Central Canada wildfires

Ontario-Quebec wildfires on June 3, 2023

Quebec has been particularly hard hit during the 2023 wildfire season, with more frequent wildfires than in the past, and fewer resources and experience with which to fight them. As of June 10, the province had reported 446 fires, compared to the average of 212 for the same date.

On June 8, 137 fires were active in Quebec and 54 in Ontario.

Evacuations

As of June 4, 14,000 residents had been evacuated from their homes in Quebec. On June 6, 7,500 residents were evacuated from Chibougamau, the largest town in Northern Quebec. On June 7, the nearby Cree Nation of Mistissini was asked to evacuate, and the Cree Nation of Waswanipi began evacuating of their own accord.

On June 6, Quebec's Public Security Ministry announced a large evacuation alert for the province, prompting towns such as Chapais to immediately evacuate citizens. The mayor of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, where about 2,100 people (or the entire city's population) were forced from their homes, stated that the fires were as close as 10 km (6.2 mi) from the city.

Saskatchewan

Like other regions, Saskatchewan had a dry spring, leading to increased risk for wildfires. By May 25, the province had seen 187 fires; the five-year average for that point in the season is 111. Firefighting crews struggled due to heavy smoke, which made it difficult both for crews to travel and to monitor the fires.

Some communities, although not directly in the path of any fires, lost power due to fires in the region, particularly from May 14–17.

International aid

On June 6, Quebec Premier François Legault announced that 200 French and American firefighters would travel to Quebec to help fight the wildfires, and that the province was in negotiations with Chile, Costa Rica, and Portugal to find more resources.

On June 7, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre said that 950 firefighters and other personnel had travelled from other countries (including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States) to provide aid.

On June 8, the European Commission announced they would be sending more than 280 firefighters from France, Spain, and Portugal. New York governor Kathy Hochul announced the state would send seven firefighters over the course of two weeks, per the request of Canada.

Evacuations

On May 15, 535 residents of Buffalo Narrows evacuated. Other evacuated communities included the Buffalo River Dene Nation, the English River First Nation, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and the Canoe Lake First Nation.

By May 18, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) was supporting around 1,000 evacuees from effected regions of the province, who were temporarily housed in Lloydminster, North Battleford, and Regina. Support provided included food, clothing, housing, and other required services. The number of evacuees at the time was higher than 1,000, as the SPSA was not supporting individuals who evacuated of their own accord or who made separate housing plans.

Many residents in Deschambault Lake evacuated in mid-May. Evacuees from Île-à-la-Crosse and Buffalo Narrows received assistance from the University of Regina.

Governmental response

The provincial government put a fire ban in place on May 16; it was lifted on May 24 due to improving conditions.

On May 19, the SPSA announced they would provided financial aid to residents impacted by fire-related power outages.

The government of Quebec sent two amphibious tankers to the province to assist with firefighting efforts.

Domestic impact

In mid-May, oil companies in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan curbed production as a precautionary measure in parts of the provinces; this in turn drove up the price of oil.

International effects

United States

Main article: 2023 United States East Coast wildfire smoke

The Statue of Liberty on June 7, 2023

The Empire State Building as seen from the ground on June 7, 2023

May

In May, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued several alerts for poor air quality due to smoke from Alberta and Saskatchewan fires and ground-level ozone. Smoke from the Alberta wildfires led to air quality alerts in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, and Washington by May 21, 2023.

June

On June 2, smoke from the Nova Scotia wildfires affected air quality in Washington, D.C., and the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The smoke from wildfires in Quebec drifted into the Northeastern United States on June 5–6 and triggered air quality alerts for most of New York, Connecticut and some of the surrounding states, as well as the Midwestern states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The smoke on June 6 was estimated by one Stanford researcher to have been the third-worst in the country since 2006. By the night of June 6, New York City had the worst air pollution of any major city in the world; by the morning of June 7 it had fallen to second place, behind Delhi. This also marked the city's worst air quality since the 1960s.

By June 7, air quality alerts also went out to residents in the Delaware Valley in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and to additional areas in New England. In total, approximately 128 million Americans were under air quality alerts by the evening of June 7. In New York City; Syracuse, New York; Princeton Junction, New Jersey; and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, the air quality index surpassed 400. After a brief respite, New York City's air quality returned to being the worst of any major city in the world. City officials announced plans to distribute one million N95 masks on June 8.

Several airline flights to and from New York City, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. were delayed or cancelled; by the afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights going to LaGuardia Airport in New York City, citing visibility concerns.

Schools across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced closures, with the district of schools in Danbury, Connecticut announcing several alerts also advising students. Major League Baseball, the National Women's Soccer League, and the Women's National Basketball Association postponed games scheduled to be held in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia the night of June 7. The Public Theater cancelled its June 8 and 9 Shakespeare in the Park performances of Hamlet. On Broadway, performances of Camelot, Hamilton, and Prima Facie were cancelled due to the poor air quality.

On the night of June 7, Connecticut announced a warning advising residents to use masks and stay indoors due to a increase in smoke in the state. Danbury and Greenwich citizens had used masks earlier in the day as well.

On June 6 and 7, solar farms in the Northeast and Midwest dropped production by around or more than 50% due to the smoke.

On the morning of June 8, air quality was worst throughout the area surrounding Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Trenton, New Jersey. Philadelphia's air quality levels reached their worst levels since 1999. New York City climbed into the worst tier out of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's six-tier air quality index, causing Governor Kathy Hochul to call it an "emergency crisis". Flights continued to be delayed for planes bound for Newark, New York City, and Philadelphia, with delays for Charlotte and Dallas also being eyed. United Airlines issued travel waivers to impacted passengers. Horse racing at Belmont Park in New York was cancelled, causing fears of a potential postponement or cancellation of the Belmont Stakes, scheduled for June 10.

New York City public high schools and the School District of Philadelphia announced they would switch to virtual learning on June 9, due to poor air quality.

By June 11, air quality alerts were still active in New York City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, but air quality had substantially improved from earlier in the week.

Europe

The wildfire smoke also drifted to Europe; as of May 23–25, it was mainly located over Scandinavia. On June 8, Iceland and Greenland were affected by drifting smoke, with forecasts suggesting Norway would also be affected over the next few days. As of June 9, smoke in Europe was not at high enough levels to have harmful effects on health.

See also

• Chinchaga fire
• List of disasters in Canada
• List of fires in Canada
• New England's Dark Day
• Orange Skies Day

External links

• Media related to 2023 wildfires in Canada at Wikimedia Commons