Flames from the Donnie Creek wildfire burn along a ridge top north of Fort St. John, B.C. on Sunday, July 2, 2023. Canada's record-breaking wildfire season has now seen 100,000 square kilometres of land burned as fires continue to burn out of control across the entire country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Noah Berger
OTTAWA – Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season has now seen 100,000 square kilometres of land scorched as blazes continue to burn out of control across the entire country.
The total area burned is roughly the size of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Michigan combined.
Canada surpassed the record set in 1989 for total area burned in one season on June 27 when the figure totalled 76,000 square kilometres, and communities have faced evacuation orders, heat warnings and poor air quality for months.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says the majority of blazes are now in Western Canada, and British Columbia has the greatest number with 373 active fires.
Based on forecasted conditions, Natural Resources Canada expects the wildfire season will continue to be unusually intense throughout July and into August.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says the good news is that conditions are expected to improve significantly in Eastern Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2023.
