Most Canadians remember the summer of 2023 as the ‘summer of smoke.’
All across Canada, we suffered through hazy skies and the acrid smell of wildfire smoke.
While Canadians like breaking records, Canada’s 2023 wildfire season set records that most Canadians would have preferred to avoid. It was the most destructive season ever recorded, beating the previous record in 1989 by double!
In 2023, more than 6,000 fires torched 15 million hectares of land. An average of 2.5 million hectares of land are consumed annually in Canada.
Beyond the record area burned and the number of smoke hours, Canada’s 2023 wildfire season produced record carbon emissions.
Wildfire burned across the country from Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island, releasing an estimated 2 billion tonnes of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, nearly equivalent to a decade’s worth of emissions under normal conditions.
The Scale of the Disaster
The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was extraordinary by all measures.
According to the State of Wildfires report published in the journal Earth System Science Data, the fires were six times more extensive than usual, burning vast forest areas and releasing nine times the average annual amount of heat-trapping carbon pollution.
Canada’s wildfire contributed more than its share to the total global wildfire emission of 8.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, a figure 16 percent above the global average.
These wildfires have had far-reaching real-world consequences that affect people’s lives.
In Canada alone, more than 230,000 people were evacuated, and eight firefighters lost their lives. The fires not only destroyed homes and habitats but also led to widespread air pollution, with long-term health impacts that will be felt for decades.
A Global Crisis
While Canada was particularly hard hit, the 2023 fire season was also severe in many other parts of the world.
Fires driven by severe drought in Brazil’s Amazon region contributed to some of the worst air quality ratings globally.
Hawaii and Greece also faced deadly fires, with significant loss of life and property.
Surprisingly, the global total for wildfire emissions did not break the record, mainly because the African Savannah, which typically burns extensively, experienced a relatively quiet season.
The State of Wildfires report highlights that wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense worldwide. This is driven by the increasing prevalence of hot, dry conditions, which have been linked to more fossil-fuel pollution in the atmosphere.
The report found that extreme fire-prone weather in 2023 was at least three times more likely in Canada due to the changing climate, twenty times more likely in western Amazonia, and twice as likely in Greece.
The Role of the Changing Change
The link between climate change and the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires is now well-established.
The hotter and drier conditions create the perfect environment for fires to start and spread. Vegetation that is typically too damp to burn becomes tinder dry, and any spark, whether from natural causes like lightning or human activity, can ignite a massive fire.
These conditions have led to a significant release of carbon pollution previously stored in trees and soil in Canada’s boreal forests.
When carbon pollution is released, it not only makes the Earth warmer but also makes it harder for forests to store carbon in the future. This means there will be less carbon storage over time.
What Can Be Done?
The increasing frequency of wildfires highlights the urgent need for global action to reduce the carbon pollution we continue to release into our atmosphere.
The State of Wildfires report projects that if human-caused carbon pollution continues at current rates, wildfire seasons like Canada’s 2023 disaster will become six to 11 times more likely by the end of the century.
However, if global emissions are reduced to meet the targets of the 2016 Paris Agreement, the likelihood of such extreme fire seasons could be reduced significantly.
Beyond reducing pollution, other measures can also help mitigate the risk of future wildfires. Improved land management, including Indigenous-led cultural burns, the creation of firebreaks and the reduction of dry brush, can help slow the spread of fires.
Early warning systems based on weather predictions can provide crucial time to prepare and respond to fire threats.
Additionally, public education on fire prevention and providing resources like masks and air filtration systems can help reduce the health impacts of smoke.
The Future Outlook
The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was a wake-up call. The continued wildfires in western Canada during 2024, including one that burned 34,000 hectares of Jasper National Park and torched nearly a third of the town of Jasper, have just reinforced our need to take collective action.
The fires that raged across Canada and other parts of the world were not just natural disasters; they were a direct consequence of human activity and the warming climate.
As the world continues to warm, we expect to see more wildfire seasons of enormous magnitude.
However, the future is pliable. By reducing our carbon pollution and improving land management, we can reduce the frequency and severity of wildfires in the future.
The State of Wildfires report is clear: the time to act is before the flames of climate change grow beyond our control.
To stay current on the number of fires, the spread of smoke, and the status of fire bans in Alberta be sure to visit our fire page.
