After the epic fires of the previous year, Canadian officials issued a warning on Wednesday that the nation may experience another disastrous wildfire season.
Officials reported that this winter saw warmer-than-average temperatures and widespread drought conditions throughout Canada. According to weather forecasts, Canada can anticipate warmer-than-average temperatures in the spring and summer, which could lead to wildfires.
“At a press conference, Canada Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan stated, ‘We can expect that the wildfire season will start sooner, end later, and potentially be more explosive.'”
The wildfire season in Canada usually lasts from May to October. Approximately 9% of all forests on Earth are found in this nation.
According to Sajjan, the wildfire season of last year was the most catastrophic in history. Last summer, over 6,000 fires tore over tens of millions of acres of land in Canada. As the wildfires devastated the nation, hundreds of thousands of Canadians were forced to flee their homes.
A cloud of smoke enveloped parts of the East Coast and Midwest of the United States. As Canadian wildfire smoke poured in, last June’s air quality in New York City was among the worst worldwide.
According to officials, Canada’s extreme weather in 2023 resulted in insured damages exceeding $3.1 billion.
Canada’s federal government is closely collaborating with local governments to examine the events of the previous summer as they get ready for the impending wildfire season. Risk evaluations and emergency preparedness planning are being worked on by officials. Obtaining specialized firefighting equipment and training firemen have also received attention.
“It is impossible to predict with certainty the summer that lies ahead of us, but what is clear, is that wildfires will represent a significant challenge for Canada into the future as the impacts of climate change continue to intensify,” Sajjan stated.
Authorities focused on the necessity of addressing climate change as well.
In a statement, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault stated, “As the impacts of climate change hit our communities, extreme weather events are becoming far too familiar to Canadians.” “These events are costing Canadians and their governments billions of dollars.”
Government data indicates that the average Canadian household currently pays $720 annually due to climate-related consequences. By 2050, it’s expected to increase to about $2,000 annually.
“We must do more to prepare for the impacts of climate change, and we must speed up our collective efforts to stop adding carbon pollution to this global crisis,” Guilbeault stated. “We are once again facing the possibility of another active wildfire season this year, following the incredible wildfire season of 2023. It serves as a clear reminder that in order to keep Canadian communities safe, we must cooperate to lower the dangers associated with our changing climate.”