Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
2025 Canadian wildfires
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
The 2025 Canadian wildfire season began with over 160 wildfires active across the country in mid-May 2025 primarily in Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Two civilians died in the town of Lac du Bonnet located northeast of Winnipeg. Fires continued to form and spread in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared respective states of emergency on May 28 and May 29. These expired after about one month, but Manitoba declared a second state of emergency on July 10 as more fires formed.
Though wildfires are a natural part of the boreal forest life cycle, climate change has led to higher temperatures, drier conditions, and longer fire seasons. The 2024 wildfires were among the worst in history, and the 2023 Canadian wildfires were unprecedented in their destruction. As of mid-June, the 2025 fires were on track to be the second-worst on record in terms of carbon emissions and area burned.
The fires have led to the evacuations of tens of thousands of people, including the city of Flin Flon, and significant damage to buildings and other infrastructure, including the destruction of much of the village of Denare Beach, Saskatchewan. Smoke from the fires has reduced air quality throughout Canada and the United States, triggering air quality alerts in major metropolitan areas throughout the continent, and traveled as far as Europe where it caused a red-orange hue during sunsets.
Remove ads
Background
Summarize
Perspective
Wildfires are a natural part of the Canadian boreal forest life cycle. Climate change has led to higher temperatures and drier conditions, leading in turn to more frequent and severe fires and a longer fire season.[6] The 2023 Canadian wildfires were the most destructive in recorded Canadian history and the 2024 wildfire season, while less severe, was one of the worst. Overwintering "zombie" fires continued to smoulder under snow in Alberta and British Columbia in January 2025, some of which began 2023.[7] Wildfire researcher Mike Flannigan stated that this is the first time he has observed such fires survive over two years.[8] The British Columbia Wildfire Service had detected 49 active wildfires in early June that started as zombie fires, all near Fort Nelson.[9]
In Saskatchewan, rapid day-to-day shifts in temperature combined with low levels of snow created drought conditions; rather than seeping into the ground gradually and soaking the soil, snow would melt rapidly while the ground was still frozen and water would evaporate.[10] Trees and grasses would rehydrate, grow, and dry out, leaving plentiful fuel.[10] Boreal forests are more vulnerable to fire in the spring because deciduous tree have not yet grown their leaves, which store moisture.[11] With warmer weather happening earlier in the year, fires become more likely.[11] Fires in the spring are more likely to be caused by humans, for example via abandoned campfires or hot machinery, while fires in the summer are more likely to have natural causes like lightning.[11]
About 14.3% of Canadian buildings sit in the wildland–urban interface, and about 79% of buildings are within 1 km (0.62 mi), putting them at risk of wildfire.[12]
Preparation
After the 2023 fires, Canadian governments began buying new water bombers, but they are not expected to arrive until 2029 at the earliest because of backlogs in orders.[13][14]
In preparation for 2025, Edmonton carried out its first-ever prescribed burns within city limits.[15]
Remove ads
Wildfires
Summarize
Perspective
Alberta
A wildfire near Elk Island National Park reached the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village on April 18, damaging or destroying several buildings.[17] While no historic buildings were lost, the affected structures housed many artifacts that were destroyed.[17]
In early May, parts of Alberta were under "extreme" fire risk because of a combination of drought, heat, and high winds.[18] About 100 people were evacuated near County of Grande Prairie over the weekend of May 3 but were able to return on May 5.[19] On May 6, several communities in northern Alberta faced evacuation alerts and orders with individuals and livestock.[18] A wildfire that began after an ATV caught fire in the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area forced the evacuation of some of the community of Redwater, while nearby Thorhild County saw more than 40 homes and 70 people evacuated.[18] Over 800 residents of the village of Boyle were evacuated on May 6 before being allowed to return on May 8.[20]
About 1,300 residents of Swan Hills were ordered to evacuate on May 26.[21] On May 29, eight firefighters responding to Chipewyan Lake temporarily lost radio contact and were forced to shelter in place.[22] They were able to escape the next day after forestry crews cleared downed trees from roads,[22] but the fires destroyed 27 structures including critical infrastructure in Chipewyan Lake: its water treatment facility, senior centre, and health centre.[23] Production at some oil sands locations was shut down and workers were evacuated because of fires.[24] As of June 6, the province estimated that 4,625 Albertans had been forced to leave their homes.[23]
The County of Grande Prairie issued evacuation orders again on June 7 after the Kiskatinaw River wildfire crossed the border from British Columbia.[25]
British Columbia
Northeast British Columbia was in the midst of a multi-year drought in 2025, spanning six or seven years.[26] The Prince George Fire Centre, which covers 330,000 km2 (130,000 sq mi) of the northeast's area, saw 10% of its land burned in the prior two years, more than that of the previous 60 years combined.[26] The area's boreal and sub-boreal forests are especially prone to wildfire because of their deep organic soils, which can house overwintering "zombie" fires, some of which had been burning since 2023.[26] By May 2, there were 26 wildfires in the province with two being out of control.[27] One forced the evacuation of part of Fort St. John for one day after a fire broke out near Northern Lights College.[27][28] Roughly 70 people were evacuated from Peace River Regional District on May 29.[29]
Kelly Lake faced a severe fire from its west, the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, resulting in a series of evacuations on June 4.[30] The fire continued to grow to its north and south,[31] crossing into Alberta on June 6.[32] There were 49 active wildfires that had overwintered from 2024.[9] Those fires jumped Highway 97, closing the road and forcing evacuations at nearby properties as well as the Fort Nelson First Nation evacuating the Kahntah area.[9] Fires also closed the highway between Prophet River and Sikanni Brake Check.[33]
Southern British Columbia faced a heat wave in early June, and a human-caused fire grew out of control west of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island.[34] On the mainland, a fire broke out on June 9 near Squamish and resulted in an evacuation alert for several properties in the area.[35] As the fire grew, Alice Lake Provincial Park was closed and evacuated.[36] Fires near Chase forced evacuations on Neskonlith Indian Band land on June 30.[37] An out of control fire near Lytton on July 1 led to a state of emergency in Blue Sky County and evacuations of some properties.[38] The fire is believed to have been caused by a spark from a malfunction from an RCMP trailer.[39]
A firefighter scouting the Summit Lake fire near Fort Nelson suffered minor injuries after being scratched and bitten by a grizzly bear on July 4.[40] The Whelan Creek fire shut down Kelowna Airport and forced evacuations of seven properties on July 6, but was brought under control the evening of July 7 and air service was restored.[41]
From June to mid-July, over 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi) of the Prince George Fire Centre had burned, and it was expected that by the end of the year over 30% of the area's forested land base would be burned.[26]
Manitoba
.jpg)
In Manitoba during mid-May, five fires were classified as "out of control". Fire conditions were exacerbated by a concurrent heat wave, with Winnipeg recording a temperature of 37 °C (99 °F) on May 13, breaking a temperature record that had stood for 125 years.[1]
A wildfire located north of Whiteshell Provincial Park grew to over 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres). Dense smoke from the fire hampered aerial firefighting operations, forcing crews to focus on property protection in safer areas. A fire of 42,000 ha (100,000 acres) in northwestern Manitoba had approximately forty firefighters from British Columbia assigned to it since May 13. A fire in Piney close to the Manitoba-United States border grew to 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres).[2]
On May 13, a severe wildfire near the town of Lac du Bonnet, northeast of Winnipeg, resulted in two civilian fatalities. The victims, identified as a married man and woman, perished when they became trapped at home by rapidly advancing flames. Firefighters were unable to reach them due to the fire's intensity.[1][42] Mayor of Lac du Bonnet Ken Lodge noted that the fire developed and spread at an exceptional speed and intensity. The fire expanded to approximately 4,000 ha (9,900 acres), necessitating the evacuation of roughly 1,000 residents from the town and surrounding communities.[1] It destroyed twenty-eight structures in the Grausdin Point area.[2] The province declared a state of emergency near Whiteshell Provincial Park the same day.[43] At that time, there were approximately 1,200 evacuees in Manitoba from nearby fires in Ontario, in addition to evacuees from within the province.[43] On May 25, a firefighter was severely injured and hospitalized.[44]
Lynn Lake, which has about 600 residents, was evacuated on May 27 because of a 7,000 ha (17,000 acres) fire.[45] A fire at a landfill in Creighton, Saskatchewan also began to spread towards neighbouring Flin Flon.[46] Water bombers fighting fires in the area were temporarily grounded because of unauthorized drone activity.[47] Flin Flon and Creighton were ordered to evacuate on May 28.[48] The province had the highest wildfire activity in the country at this point, with 96 fires (compared to 77 for a typical full year) and over 198,000 ha (490,000 acres) burned, approximately triple the five-year annual average.[49] The fires pushed hotels in the province to capacity and premier Wab Kinew requested Manitoban communities and companies take in evacuees.[49] Kinew also announced a state of emergency for the province and stated that about 17,000 people would be evacuated from northern Manitoba.[50]
On May 31, the roughly 600 residents from Cranberry Portage community in northwestern Manitoba were placed under a mandatory evacuation order after fire caused a power outage and closed Highway 10.[51] An evacuation of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier in the week, ramped up further on May 31 with officials expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of the day.[52] Smoke from the wildfires in Manitoba drifted into parts of the United States, leading to a deterioration of air quality.[53]
Firefighters faced limited options in defending Flin Flon going into the weekend of May 30 as the wildfire smoke was too thick for water bombers and resources were stretched thin by the numerous other fires.[54] The city's mayor, George Fontaine, stated that Flin Flon was at the mercy of shifting winds, which, if turned towards the city, "could be very catastrophic".[54] About 200 personnel continued to keep the blaze at the city's edge, along with two helitankers, three helicopter buckets, three water bombers, and 19 firetrucks.[55] Though crews made some progress repelling the fire, temperatures of 25 °C (77 °F) and wind gusts of 50 km/h (31 mph) pushed it back towards the city.[55] Fires nearly encircled the city on June 4 and firefighters began raiding grocery stores because of low food supplies.[56] The fires destroyed some structures outside of the city but improvements in weather helped to keep it at bay.[57]
The large-scale evacuations presented logistical challenges. Several conferences in Manitoba were postponed or cancelled to free up hotel rooms for evacuees and Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias called for the government to invoke the Emergency Measures Act to free up more space.[58] He also expressed frustration with some residents who refused to evacuate.[59] Pimicikamak, which was ordered evacuated on May 28, faced a bottleneck as high winds and heavy smoke closed its airport and left the ferry as the main evacuation method, leading to nine-hour waits that forced some residents to turn around.[59] The Canadian military had helped evacuated 3,500 people from fire zones in the province by June 3.[59] Snow Lake, which had been hosting some evacuees from Flin Flon, was itself placed under evacuation alert on June 3.[56] Between 600 and 800 evacuees were sent to Niagara Falls, Ontario because of local hotel shortages.[57][60] The government of Manitoba asked the public to cancel any non-essential travel to help free up resources as over 21,000 people had registered as evacuees by June 9.[61] The province-wide state of emergency was lifted on June 23.[62]
Second state of emergency
Some communities faced multiple evacuations or new crises. Tataskweyak Cree Nation, which had declared a state of emergency on May 29 from approaching fires and was evacuated the next day, declared a new state of emergency on June 17 as its water treatment facility stopped working.[63] Seven homes were destroyed by fires on July 4.[63] Lynn Lake's evacuation order was lifted on June 20, but it was once again evacuated July 4 after a lightning strike sparked a new fire.[64] Fires reached within about 8 km (5.0 mi) of the nearby city of Thompson, which was acting as a local hub for evacuees.[63] The city declared a state of emergency on July 7,[65] and the province declared its second state of emergency July 10 following several mandatory evacuations.[66] Snow Lake was evacuated a second time on the same day.[67]
Garden Hill First Nation, which is only accessible by air, began evacuations on July 11.[68] About 1,750 of its 4,000 residents were evacuated to Winnipeg by emergency airlifts the following two days with support from Canadian Armed Forces Hercules aircraft.[69] Thomson issued a pre-alert notice for potential evacuation on July 11 as it prepared to receive international firefighting assistance from Mexico and Australia.[69] Communities around Island Lake began evacuating about 500 vulnerable residents on July 14 after declaring local states of emergency.[70] At this point, about 12,000 people in the province were evacuees.[71]
Newfoundland and Labrador
The fire season in Newfoundland and Labrador began early following hot and dry weather, according to Jamie Tippett, a deputy minister with the provincial forestry department.[72] In early May, wildfires formed north of Conception Bay North and led to evacuations and states of emergency in Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove and Western Bay, destroying 45 structures, including 12 homes.[73] The area is home to about 400 permanent residents plus seasonal residents.[74] The fires reduced air quality in St. John's and the north of the Avalon Peninsula.[75] Fires also formed in Fermeuse on the peninsula and Joe's Lake near the town of Badger but were brought under control.[74]
Labrador saw diminished snowfall in the winter, with a snowpack of 257.1 cm (101.2 in) compared to 388 cm (153 in) the previous year.[76] Much of western Labrador faced extreme fire risk on May 28 and fires near Churchill Falls forced the closure of the Trans-Labrador Highway, which connect it to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.[76] The fires also caused power outages in Labrador City, Wabush, and Fermont, Quebec.[76]
Badger was evacuated on June 18 as an out of control fire was about 600 metres (2,000 ft) away.[72] About 800 people registered with the Canadian Red Cross and stayed at the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium to the east in Grand Falls-Windsor.[77] The fire is suspected to have been sparked by a lightning strike before growing to 650 ha (1,600 acres).[78] The fire reached within 300 to 400 metres (980 to 1,310 ft) of the town and burned 1,119 ha (2,770 acres), but firefighting and favourable weather led to the evacuation order being lifted on June 20.[78] Remote fires continued through July but did not threaten infrastructure or settlements.[79]
A fire on the Bonavista Peninsula, near Chance Harbour, broke out on July 14 and grew to over 1,200 ha (3,000 acres), destroying a number of cabins but did not affect any communities.[80]
Another fire started near the town of Musgrave Harbour on July 19 in the Pine Pond area. An evacuation alert was announced the same day for residents to be prepared incase the fire moved towards the town, however no evacuation was necessary.[81] The fire grew to over 1,500 ha (3,700 acres), but as of July 25 it was classified as being held.[82]
On August 3, a wildfire broke out in Kingston, Conception Bay North. This is an unincorporated area lies immediately south of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove which had been affected by the fire in May. Early in the afternoon on August 4, evacuation orders were issued for both Kingston and Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove as the fire continued to burn out of control, spreading north and south. [83][84] Western Bay, located immediately north of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, was also ordered to evacuate at 11:30pm that night. The nearby unincorporated area of Ochre Pit Cove was placed under an evacuation alert. The Persalvic School Complex in Victoria was designated as the evacuation centre for displaced residents from these communities.[85] The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador provided a live update at noon the next day, August 5.[86] Premier John Hogan stated the Kingston fire had tripled in size over night, with size estimate of just over 720 ha (1800 acres). Later that day, an evacuation was ordered in the unincorporated area of Perry's Cove and an evacuation alert was placed for the nearby town of Salmon Cove.[87]
By August 7, the Kingston fire had reached an estimated 2,200 ha (5,400 acres) in size and continued to burn out-of-control, with the most active area located along its western edge.[88] Daily live updates from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador had become routine during this week of wildfires. During the August 7 update, Premier Hogan announced evacuation evacuation orders for two more communities in Conception Bay North: Ochre Pit Cove and Salmon Cove.[89] The nearby town of Victoria was placed under an evacuation alert.[90] With an evacuation alert now within five kilometres of the evacuation centre, it was relocated to Carbonear Academy, in the neighbouring town of Carbonear.[89] Premier Hogan also stated bulldozers had been added to the firefighting efforts to create fire breaks.[88]
On August 4, while the response to the Kingston fire was still ramping up, another wildfire broke out in Holyrood, along the Conception Bay Highway near Duff Straight.[91] Residents from Beaumont Place to the bridge at the entrance of Holyrood were evacuated shortly after the fire broke out.[91][92] An evacuation order was also issued in Conception Bay South for residents between 1820 Conception Bay Highway and the town's western boundary.[93] An evacuation alert was declared for the area between 1375 to 1820 Conception Bay Highway[93] At the August 5 update, Premier Hogan stated that while still out-of-control, the Holyrood fire had not grown overnight, with an estimated size of 20 ha (550 acres)[86] That afternoon, evacuation orders were expanded to include areas from Holyrood's northeastern boundary down to the Irving gas station along route 60.[87] The wildfire also forced the evacuation and temporary closure of Burry Heights Camp on Salmonier Line.[94]
By the August 7 update, the fire in Holyrood remained active but had not grown further, holding at 22 ha (55 acres).[88] While some growth had occurred earlier, no new evacuation orders had been issued. The evacuation centre for affected residents was relocated on August 6 from Robert French Memorial Stadium to a large facility at Villa Nova Junior High in Conception Bay South.[95]
On August 5, the Grand Falls-Windsor fire department stated in a post to Facebook that they were made aware of a fire burning near Bay d'Espoir Highway. This caused cabin owners in the Martin Lake and Great Rattling Brook areas to be put under immediate evacuation.[96][97] A ground crew and helicopter were responding to this fire, located 36km from the Trans-Canada Highway. It's size was roughly 60 ha (150 acres) as of Tuesday evening.[98]
By the August 7 update, the wildfire - now referred to as the Martin Lake Fire - had grown since earlier in the week but was holding at about 220 ha.[88] Most of the growth occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday, August 6. As of Thursday, the evacuation order was expanded to include cabins from Rushy Pond to Rifle Lake.[99] The fire was burning approximately two kilometres from the Bay d'Espoir Highway, raising the possibility that the highway may need to close.[100]
During the live update at noon on August 5, Lisa Dempster, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, advised that a province-wide fire ban was now in effect until at least September 7, when officials will determine if the ban can be lifted.[101] Late Tuesday evening, the provincial government provided an update that its request to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre had been fulfilled, and would welcome three additional aircraft from New Brunswick to assist in wildfire suppression efforts on August 6.[102] The province requested federal assistance from the Government of Canada, which was granted on August 7. The Canadian Armed Forces were deployed to provide immediate assistance to the province, including aerial reconnaissance to assess the wildfire situation and personnel to assist with planning and coordination efforts. Military firefighters were also made available to support firefighting operations. The Canadian Coast Guard committed up to three helicopters, two comfort trailers and a personnel officer to augment the effects of the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre.[89]
Northwest Territories
Much of the Northwest Territories faced high or extreme wildfire risk in mid-June following very hot and dry weather.[103] Fires began forming in the Dehcho and North Slave Regions, with some requiring water bombers and support crews.[103][104] On July 7, the community of Jean Marie River issued an evacuation alert as a fire was 24 km (15 mi) away; the alert was downgraded to a notice on July 12.[105] Fire conditions persisted and crews from the Northwest Territories and the Yukon continued to fight fires and prevent their spread via land, air, and water in the Dehcho, North Slave, and Beaufort Delta Regions.[106]
Nova Scotia
A forest fire near Musquodoboit Harbour forced the evacuation of about 100 homes the afternoon of June 22, though some were allowed to return later in the day as fires stabilized.[107]
Ontario
An out-of-control fire that originated in Ingolf, Ontario in the Kenora District on May 12 spread into Manitoba on May 15. The fire was estimated at 23,000 hectares (57,000 acres) on the Ontario side, with officials having not yet determined the extent of its encroachment into Manitoba.[2] The Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of Kenora, was fully evacuated with about 800 people being flown to Niagara Falls while a few dozen went to Winnipeg.[108] The Kenora 20 fire was confirmed to have destroyed some structures.[109]
On May 14, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources issued an implementation order for areas surrounding the fire designated as "Sioux Lookout 3." The wildfire, first reported on May 13, was located north of Savant Lake and had expanded to cover more than 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres). Another wildfire designated as "Fort Frances 4" located north of Crystal Lake grew to over 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) as of May 15.[3] The Sioux Lookout 3 forced the evacuation of Ojibway Nation of Saugeen.[110] Canadian Armed Forces were deployed to evacuate areas in and around Sandy Lake First Nation, a fly-in community in the northwest, after the Red Lake 12 wildfire grew to over 150,000 ha (370,000 acres).[111] Nineteen construction workers narrowly escaped the fire by sheltering in a shipping container after the fires travelled 40 km (25 mi) between morning and noon and engulfed their site.[112]
As Sandy Lake First Nation residents began returning, efforts were paused in early July because of a spike in new fires.[113] Over 2,000 people began evacuating from Pikangikum and North Spirit Lake First Nation to Thunder Bay, Mississauga, and Toronto on July 11.[113] The Red Lake 62 fire had grown to 24,000 ha (59,000 acres) and was 62 kilometres (39 mi) away from Pikangikum, while the Red Lake 40 fire threatening North Spirit Lake had reached 11,000 ha (27,000 acres) and several other large fires formed in the region.[114] Pikangikum lost power on July 12 while residents were being evacuated,[115] and five other communities (Deer Lake, Sandy Lake, Poplar Hill, North Spirit Lake, Keewaywin First Nations) soon followed with their own outages.[116] Internet, cellular, and telephone services went down as Red Lake 62 grew to 31,000 ha (77,000 acres).[115] Food spoiled and homes overheated until power was restored on July 15.[117]
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan entered the fire season after a relatively dry winter with snowpacks melting quickly after sudden jumps in temperature.[10] By mid-May there were two fires of concern in Saskatchewan: the Shoe fire near Narrow Hills Provincial Park and the Camp fire near Candle Lake and Smeaton.[118] The provincial park was closed and all highways in and out were closed to traffic, while the Camp fire was intense enough to produce pyrocumulonimbus clouds.[119]
The two fires merged and grew to over 240,000 ha (590,000 acres) by May 27, destroyed a Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency fire base and forced its 280 firefighters and staff to flee, and led to the evacuation of about 500 people from Canoe Lake to the cities of Cold Lake and Lloydminster in Alberta.[120] The Pisew fire reached 51,000 ha (130,000 acres) and led to the evacuation of 380 people from Hall Lake, and 27 people were evacuated from Brabant Lake because of the Jay Smith fire, which grew to 18,000 ha (44,000 acres).[121] Pelican Narrows declared a state of emergency and 1,700 residents were evacuated because of the nearby Pelican 2 fire, which reached 850 ha (2,100 acres).[121] The fires continued to threaten the area and about 4,000 people in total were evacuated by May 28.[122]
The town of Creighton, which borders Flin Flon, was ordered to evacuate on May 28.[123] That same day the First Nations of Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and Montreal Lake Cree Nation declared a joint state of emergency as its leaders expressed "deep concerns" about shortages of firefighting resources and demanded meetings with members of parliament and premier Scott Moe.[124] On May 29, the Camp fire reached a size of 300,000 ha (740,000 acres) and destroyed dozens of cabins around East Trout Lake.[124] Moe declared a provincial state of emergency that day.[124]
Communities within a 20 kilometres (12 mi) radius around La Ronge were ordered to evacuate on June 2 after the Pisew fire grew to 83,630 ha (206,700 acres) and breached the airport, affecting 7,500 people.[125][126] The fires in the province destroyed 163 structures (including private properties such as homes, cabins, and sheds and provincial properties in parks) and the province estimated that a total of 8,000 people had been displaced.[127] The Shoe fire grew to over 407,000 ha (1,010,000 acres).[127] Denare Beach, which is southwest of Creighton and had been evacuated previously, was evacuated of all remaining firefighters and essential staff on June 2 as fires destroyed the southern half of the village.[128] Fires reached La Ronge the night of June 3 and destroyed the Robertson Trading Post, which held hundreds of indigenous artifacts.[129]
Provincially, the number of evacuees was estimated to have reached 15,000 and approximately 400 structures had been destroyed.[129] The evacuations caused shortages of hotel spaces.[130] On June 2, a group of evacuees in Saskatoon held a protest outside the first ministers' meeting demanding more resources for firefighting and evacuees.[130] Julie Baschuk, the mayor of Air Ronge, wrote to premier Moe that many evacuees from her city were not able to access food or find shelter a week after being evacuated, with some forced to sleep in vehicles, tents or backyards.[131] Ombdudsman Sharon Pratchler called on the province to make urgent improvements to how it treats evacuees.[132]
Premier Moe announced on June 6 that two individuals had been charged with arson and one was related to a major wildfire, though this was not supported by RCMP statements.[133]
The provincial state of emergency expired on June 27, lasting one month.[134]
Second wave of fires
In early July, the village of Beauval declared a state of emergency and issued an evacuation order.[135] About 800 people fled as they were threatened by the Bay fire, the Chudyk fire, and the Muskeg fire.[136] The hamlet of Lac La Plonge also ordered an evacuation,[136] as did English River First Nation.[137] Fires blocked highway access to Patuanak, stranding its 700 residents.[138] The community briefly lost access to electricity, but was not in immediate danger as the nearest fire was 60 km (37 mi) away.[138] Officials from English River First Nation were stuck outside of the area, fuel and groceries could not be shipped in, garbage could not be shipped out.[139] Vulnerable individuals from Patuanak such as elders, children, pregnant women, and those with medical conditions were airlifted to Buffalo Narrows and were then be taken by bus to Lloydminster.[140] Fires breached Beauval on July 10, destroying some structures, with the mayor stating he saw a wall of fire "100 feet tall" blocking one of the roads into town.[140]
Shifting winds pushed the fires surrounding the village together, merging them into the massive, uncontrolled Muskeg fire, which threatened Beauval from three sides and required intense defensive efforts from firefighters from Quebec and crews piloting bulldozers and helicopters dropping buckets of water.[141] Canoe narrows was ordered to fully evacuate for the second time on July 16.[142]
Quebec
Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) reported 59 wildfires in Quebec in 2025, which is 44 fewer than the 10-year average. On May 10, SOPFEU raised the fire danger rating for western Quebec, and also noted that a five-hectare fire started burning on May 10 in the Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality. Under the cause of the fire, the agency noted "residents". On May 11, a one-hectare fire started in Abitibi Regional County Municipality. Both fires were listed as under control SOPFEU reported two active wildfires as conditions become favourable to wildfires with the snow melting. Regions Estrie, Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec, Montreal, Laval, Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudière and Chaudière-Appalaches had their fire danger index raised, while in addition, parts of the Mauricie, Capitale-Nationale, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi–Témiscamingue, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Côte-Nord are under a raised danger index. SOPEFEU added "The rest of Quebec is still experiencing winter conditions, with substantial snow cover remaining in forested areas. In these northern regions, the wildfire risk is currently non-existent".[143]
Yukon
By June 22, there were 63 fires burning in the Yukon.[144] Fires near Dawson City triggered evacuation alerts.[144][145] Over 40 of the fires from June 16 to June 22 were from lightning strikes.[145] On June 24, an evacuation alert was issued for Ethel Lake.[146] The alert was lifted July 1, but the fire remained out of control and had burned 743 ha (1,840 acres).[147][146] Alerts were issued on July 4 for areas near Mayo, which were lifted on July 15.[148]
Remove ads
Responses
Summarize
Perspective
Manitoba
Flags at the Manitoba Legislative Building were lowered to half-mast to pay respect to the two people killed by the fire in Lac du Bonnet.[2] Premier Kinew vowed to review the government's response to the wildfire season once it ended.[149]
National
On May 29, CIFFC raised the National Preparedness Level to 5, its highest level, indicating full mobilization of national firefighting resources and continuing high to extreme fire activity.[150]
Demand for water bombers increased during firefighting operations, though provinces are not expected to receive new planes for several years.[13] Canada has no national water bomber fleet or firefighting service—instead, the provinces have mutual sharing agreements—though the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs has offered a proposal to create one within weeks.[151]
The House of Commons held an emergency debate on June 3, which was request by the New Democratic Party to request more resources for indigenous people in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.[152] Randy Hoback, a Conservative member of parliament (MP) in Saskatchewan, offered to share his riding office with Buckley Belanger, a Liberal MP who had been elected in the 2025 election but could not set up an office because of the fires.[152] Senator David Arnot gave a speech on June 10 requesting the creation of a national emergency response agency, equivalent to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States or National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Australia.[152]
International
World Central Kitchen dispatched a relief team to Winnipeg on May 31.[153]
Hundreds of international firefighters were deployed to combat wildfires. On May 30, firefighters from Oregon and Idaho deployed to Alberta to aid in battling wildfires there.[154][155] The United States Department of Agriculture announced on May 31 it was mobilizing over 150 firefighters and support personnel and sending a water bomber as well as firefighting equipment.[156] Australia sent 96 personnel for five weeks on June 10.[157] New Zealand sent a crew of seven specialists in early July and Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden stated a larger task force would likely follow.[158] Costa Rica sent a contingent to Alberta in June.[159] Firefighters and specialists from Mexico and Australia were scheduled to arrive in Thomson, Manitoba in mid-July.[69]
The 51st G7 summit took place in Kananaskis, Alberta on June 16–17. Leaders at the summit agreed to the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter, pledging co-operation on wildfire management, prevention, research collaboration, and other aspects between the G7 members as well as Australia, India, Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa.[160] The agreement was noted for not mentioning climate change, possibly to placate U.S. President Donald Trump, who had recently moved to dismantle American efforts to address climate change.[160]
Remove ads
Impacts
Summarize
Perspective
Air quality
Environment and Climate Change Canada began issuing air quality warnings for Saskatchewan and Manitoba in mid-May.[119][161] The first plumes of smoked from the fires reached Europe on May 18 at an altitude of 9,000 m (30,000 ft).[162] As fires grew and intensified, smoke in early June caused severe air quality issues in northwestern Ontario, forcing closures and people indoors in Thunder Bay and throughout the region.[163] Smoke drifted eastwards resulting in air quality warnings across Canada on June 5 and 6, including in the Ottawa–Gatineau region,[164] Greater Toronto Area,[165] and Montreal.[166] At times during that span, Toronto and Montreal respectively had the second- and third-worst air quality in the world according to IQAir.[167] One-third of the US was impacted by the smoke with areas suffering from poor air quality.[168] Fires in northern Alberta and British Columbia covered Calgary and Edmonton in smoke, leading to a Air Quality Health Index of 10+ for the latter.[169][170]
.jpg)
Smoke caused hazy skies and orange-red sunsets in the US[171] and Europe.[172] American cities from Kansas City to Minneapolis faced hazardous air quality and a network of pediatric clinics in the Twin Cities noted an increase in patients with respiratory problems.[173] The American health services response was hampered by mass layoffs in the public service as health specialists and experts on wildfire smoke at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) were on administrative leave, including the entirety of the National Center for Environmental Health.[174] The layoffs also prevented a report on protecting outdoor workers from smoke being finalized as none of the workers remaining after the purges were qualified to finish it.[174] Six Republican members of the American House of Representatives wrote a letter to Canadian ambassador Kirsten Hillman complaining about the smoke ruining their constituents' summer and blamed Canadian authorities for a "a lack of active forest management". The letter was widely denounced in Canada, with Manitoba premier Wab Kinew calling the lawmakers "ambulance chasers".[175]
A second wave of intense fires in July led to more smoke-filled skies. Poor air quality in Regina, Saskatchewan caused the postponement of the Canadian Football League game between the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 11.[176] Smoke in Winnipeg was severe and also caused event cancellations; spending 24 hours outside was the equivalent of smoking three cigarettes.[177] Winds pushed the smoke eastwards, leading to poor conditions for much of Central Canada.[178] Much of the American Upper Midwest also faced unhealthy levels of smoke.[179] Toronto again had some of the worst air quality in the world on July 14,[180] and over 20 air quality statements were in effect in Northwestern Ontario.[115] Smoke may also have affected parts of Nunavut, but as the territory lacked infrastructure to monitor air quality, authorities advised residents to be aware of signs of local hazardous air quality.[181]
Intense fires in August led to more air quality warnings throughout Canada. The most severely polluted air was in northern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.[182] Toronto again ranked as one of the most-polluted major cities in the world.[183]
Health
Wildfire smoke creates high levels of ozone and particulate matter such as PM2.5, which can cause respiratory issues and increase the risk of cardiac arrest.[184] Many areas where wildfires have burned are home to former mining operations, which has left high concentrations of toxins such as arsenic, lead, and mercury that are then released into the air.[184] Peat fires in particular can accumulate these toxins.[184]
Environmental
According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, by June 2 the fires had emitted 56 megatonnes of carbon dioxide, second only to the 2023 season.[185]
With climate change creating hot and dry conditions, the start of the wildfire season has been intense compared to historical records, with the area burned and number of fires approaching that of 2023.[186] By June 10, the fires had burned 3.2 million ha (7.9 million acres) and already surpassed the annual average of 2.95 million ha (7.3 million acres).[187] As of mid-June, the fires are on track to be the second-worst in recorded history by area burned.[188]
Indigenous peoples
The wildfires have disproportionately impacted Canada's First Nations, with over half of the 40,000 evacuees estimated in mid-June coming from these communities.[189] The communities frequently have poor road connections to the rest of the country and evacuations were complicated by smoke limiting visibility for evacuation flights.[189] Evacuees also sometimes faced anti-Indigenous racism in the cities where they sheltered.[189]
Remove ads
See also
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads