2023 was Canada's most disastrous year for wildfires
Let me share with you what I have learned about the unprecedented year of wildfires in Canada and what is being done to prepare for this year.
The Canadian Wildfire season normally runs from May through October. In 2023, wildfires began in multiple regions across Canada in April. Normally they only occur in western provinces and the Northwest Territory.
Wildfires quickly became difficult to contain and extinguish
Spring of 2023 was unusually dry and hot. The summer heat in 2022 had been more intense and ice hadn’t formed until late in the winter. This allowed fuels that wildfires feed on to dry faster and earlier than normal during the spring. As well, some areas had experienced moderate or severe drought. Spring temperatures quickly rose above normal and in some regions, broke previous record-breaking highs. Volunteer firefighters were on the front lines of wildfires and many didn’t have the training needed to create firebreaks. The wildfires quickly became dangerous and fast moving. Community evacuations became necessary. Every available resource was being used to battle wildfires. By June, only 2 months into the wildfire season, out of country wildfire fighters were flown in to help control the growing number of wildfires. Fire fighting teams came from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, France, Portugal and South Africa.
Many people appreciate the energy, singing and dancing of the South African firefighters who have come to Canada several times to assist with wildfires. Go to the link below to see a video of their arrival after a long flight at the Edmonton airport in 2023: https://globalnews.ca/news/9772365/alberta-wildfire-south-african-firefighters-june-20 23/ This is a tradition that they repeat every morning before their work begins.
By mid July, there were 29 mega-fires, each larger than 100,000 hectares. By October 6,551 fires had burned 184,961 square kilometers (5%) of Canada’s forest area. Experts predicted that many wildfires would continue to burn for months because they were located in large remote areas where the terrain was rugged and inaccessible. These fires would need to be monitored through the winter months.
What has been done to improve Canada’s response to wildfires?
In January 2023 Indigenous Leadership Initiative launched the First Nations National Guardians Network supported by the federal government. First Nations Guardians are trained experts who focus on key environmental, economic, cultural and social priorities identified by their communities. They are driven by a cultural obligation to the land. With this additional support they will be better able to work together while sharing their experiences and expertise. This organization will also allow them to access resources and funding tailored to their communities needs. Indigenous led conservation and stewardship are powerful models for addressing environmental challenges.
The Assembly of First Nations and Services Canada updated their strategy regarding fire protection in Indigenous communities. Goals had been identified to ensure that all First Nations communities have the highest standard of firefighting training available to be an effective resource to protect their communities. In June 2023, the federal government announced funding to train hundreds of Indigenous firefighters and fire guardians.
In 2023 the federal government began to fund Canada wide training focused on fighting wildfires. The International Assoc of Firefighters (IAFF) will provide training for full-time municipal firefighters and volunteer rural firefighters to manage fires affecting homes, sheds and barns. Last summer, instructors began training in order to provide wildfire response courses to volunteers. Natural Resources Canada provided training courses to structural fire fighting .The Canadian government will provide funding over the next 4 years for equipment needed for fire-fighting across Canada.
A center of excellence will be established for advancements in technology, to share knowledge, support “Indigenous fire science” and the use of fire in Indigenous culture. This center will act as a national and international hub for connection and collaboration.
What else can be done?
Canadian climate and wildfire experts know that Canada will continue to experience longer fire seasons, larger and more intense wildfires and extreme “fire weather” (weather conditions including precipitation and lightning). They are eager for Canada to learn from other countries who are more aggressively battling wildfires. Canada is behind the United States where prescribed burns are commonly used to clear large areas. These burns reduce the fuel which helps create ferocious wildfires where the land is so dry that even decomposition is slowed. The past year was a clear sign of the challenges that Canadians will face unless more proactive firefighting procedures are used. For example, ALERTCalifornia currently uses technology that supports over 1,000 monitoring cameras, sensor arrays and a data network used to make decisions to manage and recover from wildfires. Interested in learning more? Go to https://alertcalifornia.org/about/
Next month look for part 2 of Wildfires in Canada, Wildfires Impact on Communities.
Resources:
https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/07/government-of-cana da-provides-update-on-2023-wildland-fire-season-forecast.
html https://alertcalifornia.org/about/ https://globalnews.ca/news/10176775/canada-wildfires-home-protection/ https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/emergency-preparedness-response/ra pid-risk-assessments-public-health-professionals/risk-profile-wildfires-2023.html
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/12/18/2797608/0/en/Ahead-of-the-fl ames-preparing-Canadian-homes-and-communities-to-limit-the-growing-risk-of-wildfire.
html https://pics.uvic.ca/programs/wildfire-resilience-research
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2022.829125/full
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/inhalable-particulate-matter-and-health#:~:text=Particl es%20are%20defined%20by%20their,diameter%20(PM2.5).
https://natural-resources.canada.ca/simply-science/canadas-record-breaking-wildfires-2 023-fiery-wake-call/25303
