Wildfires are spreading rapidly in Western Canada, prompting evacuation orders and alerts across several regions. In Alberta, a wildfire near Fort McMurray has grown to an alarming size of over 1,000 hectares, leaving it out of control and forcing the evacuation of residents. Another evacuation order has been issued for Grand Prairie County No. 1 due to a nearby wildfire.
In British Columbia, the threat of a wildfire has prompted an evacuation order for the town of Fort Nelson, with residents being advised to evacuate to the Fort St. John reception center. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the blaze, suspected to be human-caused, was discovered near the Highway 77 junction and has rapidly grown to 800 hectares, exhibiting extreme fire behavior. Ground crews and air support, including nine helicopters, are actively battling the blaze under challenging local conditions.
The Northwest Territories is also facing active wildfires, with six currently burning and affecting over 1,500 hectares. The largest fire, spanning approximately 1,500 hectares, is located near the community of Jean Marie River and is reportedly growing rapidly. The fire has reportedly disrupted 911 services in a large portion of the north.
Government officials have expressed concerns about the potential for further damage from the wildfires due to ongoing drought conditions that have persisted for the past 12 months. Natural Resources Canada’s director of wildland fire research, Julienne Morissette, emphasized that temperatures are rising and things can dry very quickly, potentially exacerbating the situation.
According to the wildfire forecast for May, both Saskatchewan and Alberta are expected to experience high or extreme fire severity, while eastern B.C., central/northern Prairies, southern Northwest Territories, eastern Ontario, and western Quebec are likely to see above-normal fire activity this month. In June, the heightened monitoring area will expand to include the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and B.C.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) predicts a high probability of above-normal temperatures from May to July, increasing the risk of drought in high-risk regions, including the northern Prairies and Interior B.C. Notably, last year’s Canadian wildfires burned a record-breaking 18.5 million hectares of land, making it the worst wildfire season on record, surpassing the previous high of 7.6 million hectares burned in 1989.
