Canada's 2024 wildfire season shaping up to be second-worst in 20 years
A combination of above-normal temperatures and lack of rain in parts of the country have fueled this year's fires, officials say.
Canada's 2024 wildfire season is shaping up to be the second-largest in twenty years, according to a Wednesday announcement by Natural Resources Canada and reported by the Canadian Press.
The worst wildfire season was in 2023, when more than 6,000 fires, destroyed 15 million hectares of land. That's an area larger than England and more than double the amount of land burned in 1989, the previous record holder for worst wildfire season.
Drought worsening 2024 season
A combination of above-normal temperatures and lack of rain in parts of the country have fueled fires, with a preliminary number of more than 5.3 million hectares burned so far.
This figure could grow, with sections of B.C., Alberta, and N.W.T. expecting warm and dry conditions for the next few weeks.
Citing federal records, the Canadian Press (CP) says only three other seasons have surpassed 5 million hectares.
Western Canada has sustained the most damage so far this year. Roughly 70 per cent of the total burn area is within British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan.
Longer seasons
Yan Boulanger, a research scientist with Natural Resources Canada told CP that wildfire seasons appear to be turning into a year-round phenomenon, driven by rising temperatures due to climate change.
VIDEO: A look at Canada's intensifying wildfire seasons
Header image: File photo via Canva Pro.
