2023 Canadian wildfires
Beginning in March 2023, and with increased intensity starting in June, Canada was affected by a record-setting series of wildfires. All 13 provinces and territories were affected, with large fires in Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. The 2023 wildfire season had the most area burned in Canada's recorded history, surpassing the 1989, 1995, and 2014 fire seasons, as well as in recorded North American history, surpassing the 2020 Western US wildfire season.
| Canadian wildfires of 2023 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | Canada (all 13 provinces and territories) and subsequent spillover into the Northern United States |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 6,551 (as of October 6, 2023) |
| Total area | 18.496 million ha (45.70 million acres) (as of October 6, 2023) |
| Date(s) | March 1, 2023-November 2023 |
| Deaths | 9 |
| Evacuated | 155,856 people (as of July 7, 2023) |
| Map | |
As of October 6, 6,551 fires had burned 184,961 square kilometres (71,414 sq mi; 45,705,000 acres), about 5% of the entire forest area of Canada, and more than six times the long-term average of 27,300 square kilometres for that time of the year. As of October 6, there were 772 wildfires active, 346 of which were deemed "out of control". International aid helped reduce the impact of the fires.
Smoke emitted from the wildfires caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada and the United States. In late June, the smoke crossed the Atlantic, reaching Europe.
Many of the largest fires were under control by July, including fires which had funnelled June smoke into the Eastern Seaboard. However, significant fires continued well into the fall season, with several major fires breaking out in September. Moderate-to-severe drought conditions from British Columbia to northern Ontario also continued into fall. As of mid-October, the total acreage burnt was more than 2.5 times the previous record.