2023 Central Canada wildfires
| 2023 Central Canada wildfires | |
|---|---|
 Wildfires on June 3, with smoke plumes from fires the day before to the left. | |
| Date(s) | 2 June 2023 – present |
| Location | Ontario, Quebec, Canada |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 211 |
| Burned area | c. 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) in total |
| Impacts | |
| Evacuated | c. 10,000 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | lightning |
The 2023 Central Canada wildfires are a series of ongoing wildfires in the Central Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec that began on 2 June 2023, as part of the 2023 Canadian wildfires.[1] A combined total of 211 wildfires are reported as of 5 June by the Ontario and Quebec governments; 145 of them considered to be out of control. [2][3] Currently, there are 400 firefighters working in Quebec.[4] Air quality is expected to be impacted for both provinces.[5][6] Due to an unseasonable stretch of hot and dry conditions, fire risk is at dangerous to extreme levels in both provinces.[6]
Quebec's Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said on 2 June that he had reached out to the federal government to seek the assistance of the Canadian Armed Forces.[1]
Evacuations
Around 10,000 residents in coastal Quebec were forced to evacuate their homes on June 2, 2023. The mayor of Sept-Îles declared a local state of emergency, as the wildfire risk led to evacuation orders.[1]
Four communities west of Calabogie, Ontario were under evacuation order beginning June 5 due to a fire in Greater Madawaska.[7]
Air quality
Smoke from the fires caused air quality in Ottawa on June 5–7 to hit the highest level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Index, the worst in Ontario.[8] An air quality statement was also issued for Toronto,[9] as well as most of Southern Ontario.[10] The smoke from the wildfires drifted into the Northeastern United States on June 5–6 and triggered air quality alerts for most of New York and some of the surrounding states. It has also covered many areas like New York City in haze early Tuesday.[11]
The Weather Network predicts that all of eastern Ontario and parts of southern Quebec will experience even higher concentrations of low-level smoke on June 7, resulting in the worst air quality in a lifetime for much of the region.[12]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Lampert, Allison; Shakil, Ismail (2023-06-02). "Wildfires spread in eastern Canada, forcing evacuations in coastal Quebec". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
- ^ Press, The Canadian. "Number of Quebec wildfires rises to 164, at least 114 are out of control". ctvnews. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ "Forest fires | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ Watts, Rachel (2022-06-02). "Forest fires force thousands out of their homes in Quebec's North Shore". CBC. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
- ^ "Bruce Peninsula's air quality reduced by Quebec, N. Ont. wildfires". owensoundsuntimes. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
- ^ a b Corp, Pelmorex (2023-06-03). "Mother Nature flips wildfire fortunes on Canada's East". The Weather Network. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
- ^ "Evacuation order extended for several Calabogie-area communities battling forest fire". CityNews. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Air quality risk 'off the charts' in Ottawa because of fire smoke". CBC Ottawa. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Raging Quebec forest fires prompt special air quality statement for Toronto". CBC Ottawa. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Air quality statements in effect for large part of Ontario as forest fires rage in Quebec". Global News. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ Oberholtz, Chris (2023-06-06). "New York City in code red 'unhealthy' air quality as Canadian wildfire smoke pours into Northeast". FOX Weather. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ Corp, Pelmorex (2023-06-06). "Wildfire smoke puts millions of Canadians at health risk as air quality drops". The Weather Network. Retrieved 2023-06-07.