Editor-DN
The federal government says Canada faces another devastating wildfire season due to an unusually warm winter, widespread drought conditions and higher-than-normal temperatures forecast in the coming months. can
Drier, hotter weather is expected this spring and summer, putting much of the country at greater risk of wildfires, officials said during a technical briefing on Wednesday.
Many areas, including southern Quebec, eastern Ontario and western Canada, have a higher-than-normal chance of fires in April. Risks increase through May and into the summer, although officials stress that is more dependent on rainfall levels during this period.
“It is impossible to predict the summer ahead of us, but what is clear is that wildfires will represent a significant challenge for Canada in the future as the effects of climate change continue to increase. Year, ” said Harjit Sajjan, Minister for Emergency Preparedness.
Drought conditions, below normal snowpack
Last year was Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, based on a number of metrics, including total area burned.
The winter months did not bring much relief.
Already, more than 70 fires are burning, mainly in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, officials said.
Many of them are holdover fires. Who have been smoking since last season..
Officials say dry conditions and unusually low snow levels across much of the country have made the landscape more susceptible to wildfires again.
“With the heat and dryness across the country we can expect the wildfire season to start earlier, and end later and potentially be more explosive,” Sajjan said.
Oh Map of Govt The current drought situation indicates that most of the country is experiencing “abnormally dry” conditions.
The worst conditions – abnormal and extreme drought conditions – are in parts of southern Alberta, central and northern BC and the southern NWT.
Canada experienced it. The warmest winter on record — Since Canada began keeping records in 1948, the three months from December to February are 5.2 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, according to David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Resources under pressure
Last year’s wildfires strained resources. In all, 5,500 firefighters from outside Canada were brought in to help put out the blaze.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said the government was in talks with other countries to better share resources to fight bushfires, and was training more than 600 new firefighters.
“Forest fires have always happened across Canada — what’s new is their frequency and their intensity,” he said.
“The science is clear that the primary cause is climate change. That’s why Canada has one of the most comprehensive climate plans in the world and why we’re making progress on it every day.”
The federal government also announced that it plans to increase tax credits available to volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers in the upcoming budget. It was pushed by the NDP.
The government said the move targeted rural communities, where firefighters are often volunteers and are battling wildfires fueled by climate change.
The tax credit will increase from $3,000 to $6,000 for 2024 and subsequent tax years, saving volunteer firefighters up to $900 annually.
With this year’s wildfire season approaching across Canada, Jason Woodbury, Chief of the Miscouche, PEI, Fire Department, wants people to be proactive in keeping their homes and property safe. As he tells CBC’s Sheehan Desjardins, there are simple steps people can take to reduce their risks from any type of fire.
