Disastrous Wildfires in Canada
By: Reifet Islam '24
Photo from BBC News
Canadian wildfires have been running rampant since March and increasing in intensity since early June. According to the Washington Post, it is approximated that around 2,300 fires were ignited in nine of the thirteen provinces, destroying around 9.4 million acres of forest land. It has been recorded that five people were killed by the fires with four of them being firefighters. As of right now, all thirteen provinces have been affected, prompting over 100,000 Canadian residents to evacuate their homes. These wildfires have broken the record for the amount of smoke emitted within one year. Specifically, it is estimated that 410 megatons of carbon were emitted since May according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Service database.
According to Reuters and CBS News, 85% of the current wildfires in Canada were caused by ignitions due to lightning. Additionally, dry vegetation and hot weather contributed to the prolonging of these wildfires. Despite the duration of how long the fires were burning, Vox reports that Canada is still struggling to maintain all of the fires. The nation is dedicating all of its resources towards containing these fires, Armed Forces were deployed in areas of high intensity such as Alberta and Quebec. Along with their own forces, thousands of firefighters from across the United States, Africa, and additional countries were sent to aid.
The wildfire smoke halted oil and gas production in the country, as the atmosphere made the conditions far too unsafe. The persistent smoke has extremely lowered the air quality in not only Canada, but also the Northeast of the United States and Greater Cincinnati. Cities in the US, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, have experienced some of the worst effects, with several outdoor activities being canceled and flights being delayed.
On September 7th, Natural Resources Minister, Johnathan Wilkinson expressed his thoughts on the wildfires and stated that they could be prolonged throughout winter due to the current climate. He directly stated, “There remains a likelihood that some existing fires they continue to be active through late September and possibly later into autumn or even winter.” Long term climate change caused by various human factors, such as the burning of fossil fuels, increase the possibility of wildfires, as they create the atmosphere best suited for them.
