2023 Canadian wildfires: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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|date=March 1, 2023—November 2023

|season_name=Canadian wildfires

| is_season = yes

~~|fatalities=10~~

| year = 2023

|evacuated=155,856 people<ref name="ABCnews_July7">{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/wildfires-canada-broken-records-area-burned-evacuations-cost-100806230|title=Wildfires in Canada have broken records for area burned, evacuations and cost, official says|date=July 7, 2023|access-date=July 8, 2023|publisher=The Associated Press|website=abcnews.go.com|archive-date=July 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708014416/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/wildfires-canada-broken-records-area-burned-evacuations-cost-100806230|url-status=live}}</ref> (as of July 7, 2023)

|fatalities=8<ref name="v065"/>

|evacuated=185,000<ref name="d308"/>–232,000<ref name="v065"/>

|location=Canada (all 13 provinces and territories)<ref name="SitArchive"/> and subsequent spillover into the [[Northern United States]]

|title=Canadian wildfires of 2023

|image_map={{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|frame-width=|frame-height=|from=2023 Canadian wildfires - season to date.map|frame-latitude=55|frame-longitude=-99|zoom=2|text=Perimeters of 2023 Canadian wildfires - season to date ([[c:Data:2023 Canadian wildfires - season to date.map|map data]])}}

}}

Beginning in March 2023, and with increased intensity starting in June, [[Canada]] was affected by a record-setting series of [[wildfire]]s. All 13 [[Provinces and territories of Canada|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,<ref name=":7">{{cite news |date=June 26, 2023 |title=Forest fire centre declares 2023 worst year ever for Canadian wildfires |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-quebec-wildfire-smoke-causes-widespread-smog-warnings-grounds-some/ |access-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627021311/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-quebec-wildfire-smoke-causes-widespread-smog-warnings-grounds-some/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="SitReport"/> as well as in recorded North American history, surpassing the [[2020 Western United States wildfire season|2020 Western US wildfire season]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Dion |first=Mathieu |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Hundreds of Fires Are Out of Control in Canada's Worst-Ever Season |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-07/hundreds-of-fires-are-out-of-control-in-canada-s-worst-ever-season |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230607200733/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-07/hundreds-of-fires-are-out-of-control-in-canada-s-worst-ever-season |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2014/07/23/the-7-largest-wildfires-in-north-american-history/|title=The 7 largest wildfires in North American history|website=PropertyCasualty360|access-date=June 28, 2023|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201215150/https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2014/07/23/the-7-largest-wildfires-in-north-american-history/|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of October 6,{{Nbsp}}6,551 fires had burned {{convert|184,961|km2|sqmi ~~acre~~|sigfig=5}},<ref name="SitReport">{{cite web |title=Fire Statistics |url=https://ciffc.net/statistics |website=Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre |access-date=October 6, 2023}}</ref> about 5% of the entire forest area of Canada,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The State of Canada's Forests Report|date=June 11, 2015 |url=https://natural-resources.canada.ca/our-natural-resources/forests/state-canadas-forests-report/how-much-forest-does-canada-have/17601|publisher=Government of Canada|access-date=August 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719130425/https://natural-resources.canada.ca/our-natural-resources/forests/state-canadas-forests-report/how-much-forest-does-canada-have/17601|archive-date=July 19, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> and more than six times the long-term average of ~~27,300 square kilometres~~{{convert|27300|km2|sqmi|sigfig=5}} for that time of the year.<ref name="SitArchive"/> As of mid-October 6, ~~there~~the total area burnt was more than 2.5 times the previous record.<ref>{{cite news |last=Livingston |first=Ian |date=18 October 2023 |title=Canada’s astonishing and record fire season finally slows down |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/18/canada-historic-2023-wildfire-season-end/ |access-date=8 April 2024 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Eight firefighters were ~~772~~killed, ~~wildfires~~and ~~active~~185,000 ~~346~~to of232,000 ~~which~~people were ~~deemed~~displaced,<ref name="~~out of control~~v065"./><ref name="~~CIFFC_home~~d308">{{cite web | last=Clarkin | first=Acton | title=~~Canadian~~Canada ~~Interagency~~accounted ~~Forest~~for ~~Fire~~43% ~~Centre~~of people displaced by wildfires globally in 2023, data shows | website=CBC | date=2023-05-06 | url=https://~~ciffc~~www.~~net~~cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/canada-accounted-for-43-of-people-displaced-by-wildfires-globally-in-2023-data-shows-1.7205739 | access-date=~~October~~2024-08-13}}</ref> 6including 16,400 in Nova Scotia's capital of [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], 21,720 in the Northwest Territories capital of [[Yellowknife]], and almost 30,000 in British Columbia's [[Kelowna]] and [[West Kelowna]].<ref name="x001">{{cite journal | last=Kolden | first=Crystal A. | last2=Abatzoglou | first2=John T. | last3=Jones | first3=Matthew W. | last4=Jain | first4=Piyush | title=Wildfires in 2023 | journal=Nature Reviews Earth & Environment | volume=5 | issue=4 | date=2024-04-04 | issn=2662-138X | doi=10.1038/s43017-024-00544-y | pages=238–240}}</ref> ~~International~~Thousands ~~aid~~of ~~helped~~international ~~reduce~~firefighters ~~the~~travelled ~~impact~~to ofCanada to combat the fires.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smellie |first1=Sarah |date=June 12, 2023 |title=Nearly 350 firefighters from the EU will help battle relentless Canadian wildfires |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nearly-350-firefighters-from-the-eu-will-help-battle-relentless-canadian-wildfires-1.6437130 |~~access~~url-~~date~~status=~~June 16, 2023 |agency=CTV News |date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 16, 2023~~live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616133925/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nearly-350-firefighters-from-the-eu-will-help-battle-relentless-canadian-wildfires-1.6437130 |~~url~~archive-~~status~~date=~~live~~June 16, 2023 |access-date=June 16, 2023 |agency=CTV News}}</ref><ref name="CTV">{{cite news |date=June 14, 2023 |title=Canada will continue to rely on foreign firefighters as wildfires increase: Trudeau ~~|publisher=[[CTV News]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]]~~ |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-will-continue-to-rely-on-foreign-firefighters-as-wildfires-increase-trudeau-1.6441183 |url-status=live ~~|access-date=June 16, 2023~~ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616132611/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-will-continue-to-rely-on-foreign-firefighters-as-wildfires-increase-trudeau-1.6441183 |archive-date=June 16, 2023 |access-date=June 16, 2023 |publisher=[[CTV News]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]]}}</ref>

Smoke emitted from the wildfires caused [[air quality]] alerts and evacuations in Canada and the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/06/29/1184989815/air-quality-midwest-red-purple-alert-canada-wildfires-smoke |title=A big swath of the U.S. is under red and purple air quality alerts from Canada's smoke |website=npr.org |date=June 29, 2023 |archive-date=July 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703080700/https://www.npr.org/2023/06/29/1184989815/air-quality-midwest-red-purple-alert-canada-wildfires-smoke |url-status=live}}</ref> In late June, the smoke crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reaching Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/europe-experiences-significant-transport-smoke-canada-wildfires |title=Europe experiences significant transport of smoke from Canada wildfires |date=June 27, 2023 |access-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2023| website=atmosphere.copernicus.eu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704105759/https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/europe-experiences-significant-transport-smoke-canada-wildfires |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151507/canadian-smoke-reaches-europe |title=Canadian Smoke Reaches Europe |publisher=NASA |date=June 26, 2023 |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702061956/https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151507/canadian-smoke-reaches-europe |url-status=live}}</ref> Many of the largest fires were under control by July, including fires which had funnelled smoke into the [[East Coast of the United States|Eastern Seaboard]]. However, significant fires continued well into the fall season, with several major fires breaking out in September.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/world-on-fire-canada-s-worst-wildfire-season-on-record-1.6946472 Canada's worst wildfire season on record]cbc.ca {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106221134/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/world-on-fire-canada-s-worst-wildfire-season-on-record-1.6946472 |date=November 6, 2023 }}</ref> Moderate-to-severe [[drought]] conditions from British Columbia to northern Ontario also continued into fall.<ref>[https://agriculture.canada.ca/atlas/data_donnees/canadianDroughtMonitor/maps_cartes/monthlyAssessments/en/2023/cdm_2309_mn_en.pdf Monthly assessment maps]agriculture.canada.ca {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106221626/https://agriculture.canada.ca/atlas/data_donnees/canadianDroughtMonitor/maps_cartes/monthlyAssessments/en/2023/cdm_2309_mn_en.pdf |date=November 6, 2023 }}</ref> Though most of the fires were extinguished by winter, some in northern Alberta and British Columbia continued to smoulder in peat, reigniting the following February and starting the [[2024 Canadian wildfires|2024 fires]].<ref name="v065">{{cite journal | last=Jones | first=Matthew W. | last2=Kelley | first2=Douglas I. | last3=Burton | first3=Chantelle A. | last4=Di Giuseppe | first4=Francesca | last5=Barbosa | first5=Maria Lucia F. | last6=Brambleby | first6=Esther | last7=Hartley | first7=Andrew J. | last8=Lombardi | first8=Anna | last9=Mataveli | first9=Guilherme | last10=McNorton | first10=Joe R. | last11=Spuler | first11=Fiona R. | last12=Wessel | first12=Jakob B. | last13=Abatzoglou | first13=John T. | last14=Anderson | first14=Liana O. | last15=Andela | first15=Niels | last16=Archibald | first16=Sally | last17=Armenteras | first17=Dolors | last18=Burke | first18=Eleanor | last19=Carmenta | first19=Rachel | last20=Chuvieco | first20=Emilio | last21=Clarke | first21=Hamish | last22=Doerr | first22=Stefan H. | last23=Fernandes | first23=Paulo M. | last24=Giglio | first24=Louis | last25=Hamilton | first25=Douglas S. | last26=Hantson | first26=Stijn | last27=Harris | first27=Sarah | last28=Jain | first28=Piyush | last29=Kolden | first29=Crystal A. | last30=Kurvits | first30=Tiina | last31=Lampe | first31=Seppe | last32=Meier | first32=Sarah | last33=New | first33=Stacey | last34=Parrington | first34=Mark | last35=Perron | first35=Morgane M. G. | last36=Qu | first36=Yuquan | last37=Ribeiro | first37=Natasha S. | last38=Saharjo | first38=Bambang H. | last39=San-Miguel-Ayanz | first39=Jesus | last40=Shuman | first40=Jacquelyn K. | last41=Tanpipat | first41=Veerachai | last42=van der Werf | first42=Guido R. | last43=Veraverbeke | first43=Sander | last44=Xanthopoulos | first44=Gavriil | title=State of Wildfires 2023–2024 | journal=Earth System Science Data | publisher=Copernicus GmbH | volume=16 | issue=8 | date=2024-08-14 | issn=1866-3516 | doi=10.5194/essd-16-3601-2024 | doi-access=free | pages=3601–3685 | display-authors=1| hdl=10871/137179 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

Many of the largest fires were under control by July, including fires which had funnelled June smoke into the [[East Coast of the United States|Eastern Seaboard]]. However, significant fires continued well into the fall season, with several major fires breaking out in September.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/world-on-fire-canada-s-worst-wildfire-season-on-record-1.6946472 Canada's worst wildfire season on record]cbc.ca {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106221134/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/world-on-fire-canada-s-worst-wildfire-season-on-record-1.6946472 |date=November 6, 2023 }}</ref> Moderate-to-severe drought conditions from British Columbia to northern Ontario also continued into fall.<ref>[https://agriculture.canada.ca/atlas/data_donnees/canadianDroughtMonitor/maps_cartes/monthlyAssessments/en/2023/cdm_2309_mn_en.pdf Monthly assessment maps]agriculture.canada.ca {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106221626/https://agriculture.canada.ca/atlas/data_donnees/canadianDroughtMonitor/maps_cartes/monthlyAssessments/en/2023/cdm_2309_mn_en.pdf |date=November 6, 2023 }}</ref> As of mid-October, the total acreage burnt was more than 2.5 times the previous record.<ref>{{cite news| last=Livingston | first=Ian | title=Canada’s astonishing and record fire season finally slows down |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=18 October 2023 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/18/canada-historic-2023-wildfire-season-end/ | access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref>

== Background ==

The frequency, intensity, and timing of wildfires in Canada have changed over time. In general, since the 1970s and 1980s, the total annual number of wildfires has decreased but the area burned in Canada has increased.<ref name=":25">{{Cite news |last1=Shingler |first1=Benjamin |last2=Bruce |first2=Graeme |title=How wildfires are changing in Canada |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/canada-wildfire-data-change-1.6854186 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604192051/https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/canada-wildfire-data-change-1.6854186 |archive-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Since 1959, the number of large fires greater than {{convert|200|ha|acre|abbr=unit}} has increased and the average fire season has become longer by about two weeks.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hanes |first1=Chelene C. |last2=Wang |first2=Xianli |last3=Jain |first3=Piyush |last4=Parisien |first4=Marc-André |last5=Little |first5=John M. |last6=Flannigan |first6=Mike D. |date=November 16, 2018 |title=Fire-regime changes in Canada over the last half century |url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |journal=Canadian Journal of Forest Research |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=256–269 |doi=10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |s2cid=91682728 |issn=0045-5067 |access-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618225102/https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |url-status=live}}</ref> In Canada, wildfire season usually starts in May.<ref name=":26">{{cite web |date=May 11, 2023 |title=Wildfires Rage in Western Canada |url=https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/wildfires-rage-western-canada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531101543/https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/wildfires-rage-western-canada |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |publisher=[[National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service]] }}</ref> The 2023 fires have been compared to the [[2016 Fort McMurray wildfire]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Bilefsky |first=Dan |date=May 20, 2023 |title=A 'Canadian Armageddon' Sets Parts of Western Canada on Fire |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/world/canada/canada-wildfire-alberta-british-columbia.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603055101/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/world/canada/canada-wildfire-alberta-british-columbia.html |archive-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chilukuri |first=Siri |date=May 20, 2023 |title=Wildfires have burned nearly 1 million acres in western Canada |work=[[Grist (magazine)|Grist]] |url=https://grist.org/wildfires/canadian-wildfires-destroy-nearly-1-million-acres-alberta/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530200005/https://grist.org/wildfires/canadian-wildfires-destroy-nearly-1-million-acres-alberta/ |archive-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref> and the 2021 [[Lytton wildfire]].<ref name=":27" />▼

Due to [[climate change]], weather has been warmer and drier, raising wildfire risk as vegetation is more flammable under these conditions.<ref name=":25" /><ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=How did the Canadian wildfires start? A look at what's driving the fires that covered the East Coast in smoke |publisher=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-did-the-wildfires-in-canada-start-cause-nova-scotia-quebec/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607224828/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-did-the-wildfires-in-canada-start-cause-nova-scotia-quebec/ |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Alberta, Canada, wildfires show no sign of slowing, experts say -GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922 |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528120138/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922 |archive-date=May 28, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":27">{{cite news |last=Leonard |first=Diana |date=May 18, 2023 |title=Experts see climate change fingerprint in worsening heat waves and fires |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/05/18/western-wildfires-canada-climate-change-heat/ |access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> Wind from a passing cold front during the week of May 18 exacerbated the fire risk.<ref name=":27"/> Canadian [[Minister of Public Safety]] [[Bill Blair (politician)|Bill Blair]] said: "These conditions, this early in the season, are unprecedented. Due to climate change, similar [[extreme weather events]] may continue to increase in both frequency and severity across our country."<ref>{{cite news |title=Canada facing 'deeply concerning' wildfire season: Official |publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603115344/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official |archive-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref> Following the Quebec wildfires, an analysis by [[World Weather Attribution]] showed that in Quebec, because of climate change, fire weather is twice as likely to occur and 20% more intense.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shingler |first=Benjamin |date=August 22, 2023 |title=Climate change made weather conditions that powered Quebec fires twice as likely, scientists say |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/quebec-climate-change-wildfires-research-1.6943502 |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=[[CBC News]] |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823050440/https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/quebec-climate-change-wildfires-research-1.6943502 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2023 Western North America heat wave]] exacerbated the wildfires in Alberta.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prociv |first=Kathryn |date=2023-05-15 |title=Pacific Northwest heat wave continues after historic weekend |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/pacific-northwest-heat-wave-continues-historic-weekend-rcna84423 |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=[[NBC News]] |language=en |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521080844/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/pacific-northwest-heat-wave-continues-historic-weekend-rcna84423 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Canon |first=Gabrielle |date=2023-05-15 |title=Punishing heatwave grips Pacific north-west as wildfires rage in western Canada |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/heatwave-pacific-north-west-canada-wildfires |access-date=2023-05-21 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521080842/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/heatwave-pacific-north-west-canada-wildfires |url-status=live }}</ref>▼

▲The frequency, intensity, and timing of wildfires in Canada have changed over time. In general, since the 1970s and 1980s, the total annual number of wildfires has decreased but the area burned in Canada has increased.<ref name=":25">{{Cite news |last1=Shingler |first1=Benjamin |last2=Bruce |first2=Graeme |title=How wildfires are changing in Canada |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/canada-wildfire-data-change-1.6854186 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604192051/https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/canada-wildfire-data-change-1.6854186 |archive-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Since 1959, the number of large fires greater than {{convert|200|ha|acre|abbr=unit}} has increased and the average fire season has become longer by about two weeks.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hanes |first1=Chelene C. |last2=Wang |first2=Xianli |last3=Jain |first3=Piyush |last4=Parisien |first4=Marc-André |last5=Little |first5=John M. |last6=Flannigan |first6=Mike D. |date=November 16, 2018 |title=Fire-regime changes in Canada over the last half century |url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |journal=Canadian Journal of Forest Research |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=256–269 |doi=10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |s2cid=91682728 |issn=0045-5067 |access-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618225102/https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfr-2018-0293 |url-status=live}}</ref> In Canada, wildfire season usually starts in May.<ref name=":26">{{cite web |date=May 11, 2023 |title=Wildfires Rage in Western Canada |url=https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/wildfires-rage-western-canada |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531101543/https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/wildfires-rage-western-canada |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |publisher=[[National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service]] }}</ref> The 2023 fires ~~have been~~were compared to the [[2016 Fort McMurray wildfire]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Bilefsky |first=Dan |date=May 20, 2023 |title=A 'Canadian Armageddon' Sets Parts of Western Canada on Fire |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/world/canada/canada-wildfire-alberta-british-columbia.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603055101/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/world/canada/canada-wildfire-alberta-british-columbia.html |archive-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chilukuri |first=Siri |date=May 20, 2023 |title=Wildfires have burned nearly 1 million acres in western Canada |work=[[Grist (magazine)|Grist]] |url=https://grist.org/wildfires/canadian-wildfires-destroy-nearly-1-million-acres-alberta/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530200005/https://grist.org/wildfires/canadian-wildfires-destroy-nearly-1-million-acres-alberta/ |archive-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref> and the 2021 [[Lytton wildfire]].<ref name=":27" />

▲~~Due~~The to2023 fire season was mainly driven by [[anthropogenic climate change]],.<ref ~~weather~~name="f068">{{cite journal | last=Jain | first=Piyush | last2=Barber | first2=Quinn E. | last3=Taylor | first3=Stephen W. | last4=Whitman | first4=Ellen | last5=Acuna | first5=Castellanos | last6=Boulanger | first6=Yan | last7=D. | first7=l | last8=Chen | first8=Jack | last9=Englefield | first9=Peter | last10=Flannigan | first10=Mike | last11=Girardin | first11=Martin P. | last12=Hanes | first12=Chelene C. | last13=Little | first13=John | last14=Morrison | first14=Kimberly | last15=Skakun | first15=Rob S. | last16=Thompson | first16=Dan K. | last17=Wang | first17=Xianli | title=Drivers and Impacts of the Record-Breaking 2023 Wildfire Season in Canada | journal=Nature Communications | publisher=Nature Publishing Group | volume=15 | issue=1 | date=2024-08-20 | issn=2041-1723 | doi=10.1038/s41467-024-51154-7 | pages=1–14 | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51154-7 | access-date=2024-08-21 | display-authors=1| pmc=11335882 }}</ref> Climate change has ~~been~~made weather warmer and drier, raising wildfire risk as vegetation is more flammable under these conditions.<ref name=":25" /><ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=How did the Canadian wildfires start? A look at what's driving the fires that covered the East Coast in smoke |publisher=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-did-the-wildfires-in-canada-start-cause-nova-scotia-quebec/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607224828/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-did-the-wildfires-in-canada-start-cause-nova-scotia-quebec/ |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Alberta, Canada, wildfires show no sign of slowing, experts say -GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922 |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528120138/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922 |archive-date=May 28, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":27">{{cite news |last=Leonard |first=Diana |date=May 18, 2023 |title=Experts see climate change fingerprint in worsening heat waves and fires |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/05/18/western-wildfires-canada-climate-change-heat/ |access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> ~~Wind~~In ~~from~~Western Canada, a ~~passing~~drought ~~cold~~from ~~front~~2022 ~~during~~persisted ~~the~~and, ~~week~~along ofwith ~~May~~low 18winter ~~exacerbated~~snowpack, ~~the~~led ~~fire~~to ~~risk.<ref~~dried ~~name=":27"/>~~out ~~Canadian~~soil; ~~[[Minister~~in ofcontrast, ~~Public~~Nova ~~Safety]]~~Scotia ~~[[Bill~~and ~~Blair~~Quebec ~~(politician)|Bill~~saw ~~Blair]]~~normal ~~said:~~soil ~~"These~~moisture ~~conditions,~~levels ~~this~~but ~~early~~high intemperatures ~~the~~and ~~season,~~rapid ~~are~~drying ~~unprecedented.~~caused ~~Due to climate change, similar~~a [[~~extreme weather~~flash ~~events~~drought]] ~~may continue to increase in both frequency and severity across our country~~."<ref~~>{{cite~~ ~~news |title~~name=~~Canada~~"f068"/> ~~facing~~Temperatures ~~'deeply~~in ~~concerning'~~Canada ~~wildfire~~from ~~season:~~May ~~Official~~to October ~~|publisher=[[Al~~were ~~Jazeera Media Network~~{{convert|~~Al Jazeera]] |url=https://www~~2.~~aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official~~ 2|~~url~~C-~~status=live~~ change|~~access-date=June~~0}} 9,higher ~~2023~~than ~~|archive-url=https://web~~the 1991–2020 average.~~archive.org/web/20230603115344/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official~~<ref ~~|archive-date~~name=~~June 3, 2023}}<~~"f068"/~~ref~~> Following the Quebec wildfires, an analysis by [[World Weather Attribution]] showed that in Quebec, because of climate change, fire weather is twice as likely to occur and 20% more intense.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shingler |first=Benjamin |date=August 22, 2023 |title=Climate change made weather conditions that powered Quebec fires twice as likely, scientists say |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/quebec-climate-change-wildfires-research-1.6943502 |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=[[CBC News]] |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823050440/https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/quebec-climate-change-wildfires-research-1.6943502 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2023 Western North America heat wave]] exacerbated the wildfires in Alberta.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prociv |first=Kathryn |date=2023-05-15 |title=Pacific Northwest heat wave continues after historic weekend |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/pacific-northwest-heat-wave-continues-historic-weekend-rcna84423 |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=[[NBC News]] |language=en |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521080844/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/pacific-northwest-heat-wave-continues-historic-weekend-rcna84423 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Canon |first=Gabrielle |date=2023-05-15 |title=Punishing heatwave grips Pacific north-west as wildfires rage in western Canada |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/heatwave-pacific-north-west-canada-wildfires |access-date=2023-05-21 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521080842/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/heatwave-pacific-north-west-canada-wildfires |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Forest management]] is also a factor in the wildfires. Because Canada's forest management has focused on [[Wildfire suppression|fire suppression]], dry vegetation has accumulated on the forest floor.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=What to know about the Canadian wildfires causing poor air quality in the U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-weather-air-quality/ |access-date=June 16, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608170250/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-weather-air-quality/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Canada has generally stopped performing [[controlled burn]]s, which help reduce the risk of larger and more dangerous fires.<ref name=BBC>{{cite web |last=Kaminski |first=Isabella |title=Did climate change cause Canada's wildfires? |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[BBC Future]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612145614/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=December 6, 2016 |title=Prescribed Fire |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[United States Forest Service]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612162204/https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire |url-status=live}}</ref> It is difficult to get permission for controlled burns, especially for [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous groups]] who have historically performed them and are disproportionately affected by wildfires.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoffman |first1=Kira M. |last2=Christianson |first2=Amy Cardinal |last3=Dickson-Hoyle |first3=Sarah |last4=Copes-Gerbitz |first4=Kelsey |last5=Nikolakis |first5=William |last6=Diabo |first6=David A. |last7=McLeod |first7=Robin |last8=Michell |first8=Herman J. |last9=Mamun |first9=Abdullah Al |last10=Zahara |first10=Alex |last11=Mauro |first11=Nicholas |last12=Gilchrist |first12=Joe |last13=Ross |first13=Russell Myers |last14=Daniels |first14=Lori D. |date=January 2022 |title=The right to burn: barriers and opportunities for Indigenous-led fire stewardship in Canada |journal=FACETS |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=464–481 |doi=10.1139/facets-2021-0062|s2cid=247891618|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="NYT Prevention" /> Canada lacks a national firefighting service, and local resources are stretched thin due to budget cuts.<ref name="NYT Prevention">{{cite news |last1=Isai |first1=Vjosa |last2=Austen |first2=Ian |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Canada's Ability to Prevent Forest Fires Lags Behind the Need |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/world/canada/canada-firefighting-capacity.html |access-date=June 14, 2023 |url-access=limited |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614024810/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/world/canada/canada-firefighting-capacity.html |url-status=live}}</ref>▼

Roughly half of all wildfires in Canada are caused by [[Lightning strike|lightning]]; due to climate change, lightning-caused fires are happening more frequently, and lightning strikes are expected to double by the end of the century.<ref name=":25" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Veraverbeke |first1=Sander |last2=Rogers |first2=Brendan M. |last3=Goulden |first3=Mike L. |last4=Jandt |first4=Randi R. |last5=Miller |first5=Charles E. |last6=Wiggins |first6=Elizabeth B. |last7=Randerson |first7=James T. |date=June 26, 2017 |title=Lightning as a major driver of recent large fire years in North American boreal forests |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3329.epdf?sharing_token=U4YPVzDbwHkgv1F7rGPEfNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OpPbcUuw2Q7Z_IUJx0DLpDsyASll9OpOJqR7xDL_237heh4y675zyizqvECLDZjUgNWTb9vgYAy0ZLS-VVOwjYWJ2eAlDnIJbUA9-FivWV6-TPlRtMXTF8ULDY446WHL6hiM5qpPzACCqPFfvSnE5v01Sq7oH-ysrYyiHBwEdQSJ3Tl75-uBcgoyk7iyA4gynzdQQqaK_XEJTLAsgOPSsD1OEpO9feIK4DpPTG-UHLOw%3D%3D&tracking_referrer=www.cbc.ca |journal=[[Nature Climate Change]] |volume=7 |issue=7 |pages=529–534 |bibcode=2017NatCC...7..529V |doi=10.1038/nclimate3329 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630100134/https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3329.epdf?sharing_token=U4YPVzDbwHkgv1F7rGPEfNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OpPbcUuw2Q7Z_IUJx0DLpDsyASll9OpOJqR7xDL_237heh4y675zyizqvECLDZjUgNWTb9vgYAy0ZLS-VVOwjYWJ2eAlDnIJbUA9-FivWV6-TPlRtMXTF8ULDY446WHL6hiM5qpPzACCqPFfvSnE5v01Sq7oH-ysrYyiHBwEdQSJ3Tl75-uBcgoyk7iyA4gynzdQQqaK_XEJTLAsgOPSsD1OEpO9feIK4DpPTG-UHLOw%3D%3D&tracking_referrer=www.cbc.ca&error=cookies_not_supported&code=726fb7a1-1c14-42a7-b7a5-dbbb49d65f57 |url-status=live|hdl=1871.1/f0235d45-ab17-490b-94d4-e2735377e60f |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Forest Fires and Climate Change |url=https://climateatlas.ca/forest-fires-and-climate-change |access-date=June 12, 2023 |website=Climate Atlas of Canada |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612025231/https://climateatlas.ca/forest-fires-and-climate-change |url-status=live}}</ref> In terms of wildfire acreage, lightning-caused fires account for about 85% of land burned.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Lisa |date=December 21, 2023 |title=No large wildfires that threatened Alberta communities caused by arson: Ministry |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-albertas-unprecedented-wildfire-season#:~:text=Of%20a%20total%20of%201%2C121,cent%20of%20total%20affected%20land. |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Postmedia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Canadian National Fire Database (CNFDB) |url=https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/ha/nfdb |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[Natural Resources Canada]] |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608074919/https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/ha/nfdb |url-status=live}}</ref> Lightning-caused fires often happen in clusters in remote locations.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 29, 2010 |title=Lightning and forest fires |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/forest-fires.html |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[Government of Canada]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612021619/https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/forest-fires.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The other half of wildfires in Canada are human-caused, often unintentionally sparked<ref>{{cite web |title=Forest fire |url=https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Forest_fire |access-date=June 12, 2023 |website=Energy Education |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612021854/https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Forest_fire |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NYT What to Know">{{Cite news |last1=Bilefsky |first1=Dan |last2=Austen |first2=Ian |date=June 10, 2023 |title=What to Know About Canada's Exceptional Wildfire Season |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/canada-wildfires-what-to-know.html |url-access=limited |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611234910/https://www.nytimes.com/article/canada-wildfires-what-to-know.html |url-status=live }}</ref> by things such as discarded cigarette butts,<ref name=":3" /> abandoned [[smouldering]] campfires,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stober |first=Eric |date=June 8, 2023 |title=What causes most wildfires in Canada, and why we're 'primed' for a lot more |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9754882/what-starts-wildfires/ |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[Global News]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612025230/https://globalnews.ca/news/9754882/what-starts-wildfires/ |url-status=live }}</ref> sparks from braking trains, off road vehicles, and land clearing activities.<ref name="NYT What to Know" /> While false claims of [[arson]] ~~have~~ gained traction on social media, arson is generally a minor cause of wildfires in Canada.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 12, 2023 |last=Kaminski |first=Isabella |title=Did climate change cause Canada's wildfires? |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |access-date=June 18, 2023 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |archive-date=June 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617124240/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="wild-theories">{{cite news |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Who's fuelling the wild theories about Canada's wildfires |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2227831363616 |access-date=June 17, 2023 |quote=When many fires started at once in Quebec then people took that as evidence of arson, and their claims got millions of views online. These claims were debunked by meteorologist Wagstaffe who explained that a series of lightning strikes can cause many [[smouldering]] hotspots underneath rain-moistened surface fuels; and then when those surface fuels are all dried by the daytime wind simultaneously, then they are all ignited into full blown fires simultaneously. Wagstaffe also corrected the idea that [[controlled burns]] are state-sponsored arson. |archive-date=June 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617022608/https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2227831363616 |url-status=live}}</ref>

▲[[Forest management]] is also a factor in the wildfires. Because Canada's forest management has focused on [[Wildfire suppression|fire suppression]], dry vegetation has accumulated on the forest floor.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=What to know about the Canadian wildfires causing poor air quality in the U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-weather-air-quality/ |access-date=June 16, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608170250/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-weather-air-quality/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Canada has generally stopped performing [[controlled burn]]s, which help reduce the risk of larger and more dangerous fires.<ref name=BBC>{{cite web |last=Kaminski |first=Isabella |title=Did climate change cause Canada's wildfires? |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[BBC Future]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612145614/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230612-did-climate-change-cause-canadas-wildfires |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=December 6, 2016 |title=Prescribed Fire |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[United States Forest Service]] |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612162204/https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire |url-status=live}}</ref> It is difficult to get permission for controlled burns, especially for [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous groups]] who have historically performed them and are disproportionately affected by wildfires.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoffman |first1=Kira M. |last2=Christianson |first2=Amy Cardinal |last3=Dickson-Hoyle |first3=Sarah |last4=Copes-Gerbitz |first4=Kelsey |last5=Nikolakis |first5=William |last6=Diabo |first6=David A. |last7=McLeod |first7=Robin |last8=Michell |first8=Herman J. |last9=Mamun |first9=Abdullah Al |last10=Zahara |first10=Alex |last11=Mauro |first11=Nicholas |last12=Gilchrist |first12=Joe |last13=Ross |first13=Russell Myers |last14=Daniels |first14=Lori D. |date=January 2022 |title=The right to burn: barriers and opportunities for Indigenous-led fire stewardship in Canada |journal=FACETS |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=464–481 |doi=10.1139/facets-2021-0062|s2cid=247891618|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="NYT Prevention" /> Canada lacks a national firefighting service, and local resources are stretched thin due to budget cuts.<ref name="NYT Prevention">{{cite news |last1=Isai |first1=Vjosa |last2=Austen |first2=Ian |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Canada's Ability to Prevent Forest Fires Lags Behind the Need |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/world/canada/canada-firefighting-capacity.html |access-date=June 14, 2023 |url-access=limited |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614024810/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/world/canada/canada-firefighting-capacity.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Wind from a passing [[cold front]] during the week of May 18 exacerbated the fire risk.<ref name=":27"/> Canadian [[Minister of Public Safety]] [[Bill Blair (politician)|Bill Blair]] said: "These conditions, this early in the season, are unprecedented. Due to climate change, similar [[extreme weather events]] may continue to increase in both frequency and severity across our country."<ref>{{cite news |title=Canada facing 'deeply concerning' wildfire season: Official |publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official |url-status=live |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603115344/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/1/canada-facing-deeply-concerning-wildfire-season-official |archive-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref>

Pollution due to a global increase in wildfires has created widespread, long-term impacts on human health.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gao |first1=Yuan |last2=Huang |first2=Wenzhong |last3=Yu |first3=Pei |last4=Xu |first4=Rongbin |last5=Yang |first5=Zhengyu |last6=Gasevic |first6=Danijela |last7=Ye |first7=Tingting |last8=Guo |first8=Yuming |last9=Li |first9=Shanshan |date=March 2023 |title=Long-term impacts of non-occupational wildfire exposure on human health: A systematic review |journal=[[Environmental Pollution (journal)|Environmental Pollution]] |volume=320 |page=121041 |doi=10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121041 |pmid=36639044 |bibcode=2023EPoll.32021041G |s2cid=255695901}}</ref> Due to wildfire emissions, Canada broke its record for annual [[carbon emissions]] in late June.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Paige |title=Wildfire Emissions in Canada for First Half of 2023 Are Already Worse Than Any Full Year on Record |url=https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-emissions-record-2023.html |access-date=June 29, 2023 |agency=Ecowatch |date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629154255/https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-emissions-record-2023.html |url-status=live}}</ref> As of late August, the wildfires had released 327–355 [[megatonnes]] of [[carbon]] into the atmosphere.<ref name=":33">{{Cite news |last=Lamberink |first=Liny |date=August 28, 2023 |title=N.W.T. fires have released 97 megatonnes of carbon, says European agency — 277 times what its people emit |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-fire-emissions-2023-1.6948761 |access-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831054349/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-fire-emissions-2023-1.6948761 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":34">{{cite web |last1=Freedman |first1=Andrew |title=Canada's wildfire emissions skyrocket as fires spread |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/08/23/canada-wildfires-carbon-emissions |access-date=11 October 2023 |website=Axios |publisher=Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service}}</ref> According to Merritt Turetsky, a [[carbon cycle]] scientist, this is a "vicious cycle" as warming is associated with drier vegetation, drier vegetation ignites more rapidly, [[Greenhouse gas|greenhouse gases]] are released, and greenhouse gases "wind up in the atmosphere, [causing] more warming".<ref name=":34" />▼

== Wildfires ==

[[File:1983- Canada wildfires - area burned annually.svg |thumb |The area burned in 2023 was more than twice that of any year since 1983.<ref name=CIFFC_202310>{{cite web |title=Fire Statistics |url=https://ciffc.net/statistics |website=CIFFC.net |publisher=Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=October 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231025181718/https://ciffc.net/statistics |archive-date=25 October 2023 |url-status=live }} ● Cited by {{cite news |last1=Livingston |first1=Ian |title=Earth's climate shatters heat records. These 5 charts show how. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/24/climate-change-extremes-el-nino-global-warming/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=24 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024103111/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/24/climate-change-extremes-el-nino-global-warming/ |archive-date=24 October 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> A study published in the journal ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' concluded that the June-September 2023 Canadian wildfires caused [[Greenhouse gas emissions|carbon emissions]] that exceeded annual fossil fuel emissions of all nations except India, China and the US.<ref name=Byrne_Nature_20240828>{{cite journal |last1=Byrne |first1=Brendan |last2=Liu |first2=Junjie |last3=Bowman |first3=Kevin W. |last4=Pascolini-Campbell |first4=Madeleine |last5=Chatterjee |first5=Abhishek |last6=Pandey |first6=Sudhanshu |last7=Miyazaki |first7=Kazuyuki |last8=van der Werf |first8=Guido R. |last9=Wunch |first9=Debra |last10=Wennberg |first10=Paul O. |last11=Roehl |first11=Coleen M. |last12=Sinha |first12=Saptarshi |display-authors=4 |title=Carbon emissions from the 2023 Canadian wildfires |journal=Nature |doi=10.1038/s41586-024-07878-z|doi-access=free }}</ref>]]

=== Alberta ===

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Two fires that were out of control in the High Level Forest Area were active on 15 May.<ref name="Update" />

HWF-036, named the Long Lake Fire, is a rapidly growing fire classified as out of control. It is the largest fire in the province during the 2023 wildfire season, currently having an active burning area of {{convert|108402|ha|acre|0}}.<ref name="Update" /> It was started just south of the [[Rainbow Lake Airport]] and initially grew to the northwest. However, due to multiple wind shifts over the following week, the fire began to spread in an eastward direction. On May 13, the fire made a 25-~~kilometer~~kilometre run towards the community of [[Chateh]]. This also resulted in Rainbow Lake being surrounded in all directions by the wildfire, as well as power and cell service being cut off. Alberta Wildfire, the Rainbow Lake Fire Department and other fire crews from [[Alaska]] and [[Ontario]] are working together to prevent the growth of the fire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-12 |title=High Level Area Update |url=https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update |access-date=2023-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512225909/https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update |archive-date=2023-05-12 }}</ref> They deployed 83 firefighters, four helicopters and other heavy equipment by May 15.<ref name="high level">{{cite web |title=High Level Area Update |url=https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515045836/https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update |archive-date=May 15, 2023 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Alberta Wildfire |publisher=Government of Alberta}}</ref>

HWF-030, named the Paskwa Fire, iswas another out -of -control fire ~~spreading~~that spread eastward due to extreme conditions. It ~~is currently at~~reached an active burning area of {{convert|35285|ha|acre|0}}. It ~~is located~~was within the community of [[Fox Lake, Alberta|Fox Lake]], and ~~is located~~was 13 kilometres from the community of [[Garden River, Alberta|Garden River]]. The fire ~~remains~~remained south of the Peace River. The extreme weather conditions ~~are making~~made it hard for firefighters and aircraft to assist the fire. 76 firefighters and 13 helicopters ~~have been~~were deployed as well as heavy equipment. A state of local emergency was declared for Fox Lake, followed by an evacuation order on May 3. An evacuation alert for Garden River was issued on May 13.<ref name="high level" /> Over 100 structures ~~have been~~were destroyed in ~~the community of~~ Fox Lake as of May 11~~, 2023~~.

HWF-042 was under control at {{convert|181|ha|acre|0}} on May 6. It was {{convert|1|km|mi|0}} north of the [[Alberta Highway 88|Highway 88]] bridge over the [[Peace River]]. Highway 88 was closed on the afternoon of May 6 until one lane was opened later that day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-11 |title=High Level Forest Area Wildfire Update – May 6, 2023 at 8:30 p.m. |url=https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update/may-5-0 |access-date=2023-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511060316/https://srd.web.alberta.ca/high-level-area-update/may-5-0 |archive-date=2023-05-11 }}</ref> Twelve firefighters and seven helicopters, heavy equipment and airtankers worked to prevent the fire from spreading further~~. The fire has since been classified as under control~~.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

{| class="wikitable"

!Official name

Line 97 ⟶ 99:

There were 377 active wildfires in British Columbia as of July 15, including 20 that were classified as "highly visible, threatening or potentially damaging 'wildfires of note'".<ref name="cbc.ca">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wildfires-rising-in-bc-july-15-1.6908093 |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 16, 2023 |archive-date=July 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716023446/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wildfires-rising-in-bc-july-15-1.6908093 |url-status=live}}</ref> Unruly blazes destroyed properties and closed parts of the [[Trans-Canada highway]] .<ref name=":21">{{cite news |date=2023-08-20 |title=As fires rage in British Columbia, more residents prepare for evacuations |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/fires-rage-british-columbia-more-residents-prepare-evacuations-2023-08-20/ |access-date= |archive-date=August 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820164636/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/fires-rage-british-columbia-more-residents-prepare-evacuations-2023-08-20/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Between July and ~~Oct~~October 21, much of BC had seen less than a quarter of usual rainfall, with [[Vancouver]] at 10% and [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] recording only 2 millimetres of rain instead of its normal average of 132  mm. As of ~~Oct~~October 21, there were still 202 active wildfires.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-drought-by-the-numbers-vancouver-victoria-saw-less-than-10-of-average-rainfall-since-july-1.6119658|title=B.C. drought by the numbers: Vancouver, Victoria saw less than 10% of average rainfall since July|date=October 21, 2022|website=British Columbia}}</ref>

=== Manitoba ===

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==== Barrington Lake wildfire ====

[[File:Barrington Lake Fire, Nova Scotia, Canada - 28 May 2023 (52936128956).jpg|thumb|Barrington Lake wildfire]]

A major wildfire started around May 27~~, 2023,~~ near Barrington Lake in [[Shelburne County, Nova Scotia|Shelburne County]].<ref name=":9">{{cite news |date=June 2, 2023 |title=Barrington Lake blaze in Nova Scotia is the largest wildfire ever recorded in provincial history |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/barrington-lake-blaze-in-nova-scotia-is-the-largest-wildfire-ever-recorded-in-provincial-history |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630101146/https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/barrington-lake-blaze-in-nova-scotia-is-the-largest-wildfire-ever-recorded-in-provincial-history |url-status=live }}</ref> The fire ~~has~~ burned around {{convert|23015|ha|acre|0}} and between 30 and 40 structures ~~have been~~were destroyed.<ref name=":10">{{cite news |last=Natural Resources and Renewables |date=June 2, 2023 |title=Update on Wildfires, June 2 (evening) |work=News Release – Nova Scotia |url=https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230602007 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603033927/https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230602007 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Henderson |first=Jennifer |date=May 31, 2023 |title='Please send more water bombers': Volunteer firefighters in Shelburne plead for more help |url=http://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/fires/please-send-more-water-bombers-volunteer-firefighters-in-shelburne-plead-for-more-help/ |access-date=May 31, 2023 |website=Halifax Examiner |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531200006/https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/fires/please-send-more-water-bombers-volunteer-firefighters-in-shelburne-plead-for-more-help/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The response to the fire included widespread evacuation orders of the surrounding area, displacing around 5000 people.<ref name=":1" /> This wildfire iswas the largest recorded in the history of Nova Scotia.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{cite news |last=chisholm |first=Cassidy |date=June 3, 2023 |title=Historic wildfire in Shelburne County remains out of control, says premier |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/crews-attack-shelburne-wildfire-rain-1.6864785 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603150958/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/crews-attack-shelburne-wildfire-rain-1.6864785 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Efforts to stop the fire includes the use of American [[water bombers]] and additional firefighters from the U.S. and [[Costa Rica]].<ref name=":4" />

==== Tantallon wildfire ====

A second major wildfire in the [[Tantallon, Nova Scotia|Tantallon]] area was first reported at 3:30 pm on May 28~~, 2023~~.<ref name=":0" /> It spread rapidly through the Westwood Hills subdivision throughout the evening. The fire burned through {{Convert|950|ha|acre|abbr=}} as of June 2.<ref>{{cite news |last=Natural Resources and Renewables |date=May 29, 2023 |title=Update on Wildfires in Halifax Regional Municipality, Shelburne County |work=News Release – Nova Scotia |url=https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230529001 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603050914/https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230529001 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]] mayor [[Michael Savage (politician)|Mike Savage]] described the response to the fire as "unprecedented" in the area.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |last=Logan |first=Cloe |date=May 30, 2023 |title=How climate change is fuelling fires in Eastern Canada |work=National Observer |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/05/30/news/how-climate-change-fuelling-fires-eastern-canada |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531161007/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/05/30/news/how-climate-change-fuelling-fires-eastern-canada |url-status=live}}</ref> Approximately 16,400 people were placed under mandatory evacuation orders in the surrounding areas. Preliminary reports stated that approximately 151 houses were destroyed and 50 other structures were damaged or destroyed.<ref>{{cite web |last=Woodford |first=Zane |date=May 30, 2023 |title=Halifax says 'approximately 200 homes or structures' damaged in Tantallon fire |url=http://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/halifax-says-approximately-200-homes-or-structures-damaged-in-tantallon-fire/ |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=Halifax Examiner |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530102522/https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/halifax-says-approximately-200-homes-or-structures-damaged-in-tantallon-fire/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Woodford |first=Zane |date=May 30, 2023 |title=Halifax considers shrinking evacuation area, reports 151 homes lost in Tantallon fire |url=http://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/fires/halifax-considers-shrinking-evacuation-area-reports-151-homes-lost-in-tantallon-fire/ |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=Halifax Examiner |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530202621/https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/fires/halifax-considers-shrinking-evacuation-area-reports-151-homes-lost-in-tantallon-fire/ |url-status=live}}</ref> As of June 3 the fire was declared "largely contained" with help from the Canadian military and a heavy rainstorm.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 3, 2023 |title=Officials declare Halifax-area wildfire largely contained as rain brings relief |work=CTV News Atlantic |url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/rain-brings-much-needed-relief-to-firefighters-battling-halifax-area-wildfires-1.6426016 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603195047/https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/rain-brings-much-needed-relief-to-firefighters-battling-halifax-area-wildfires-1.6426016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Ontario ===

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Smoke from the fires caused air quality in [[Ottawa]], [[Toronto]],<ref>{{cite news |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Raging Quebec forest fires prompt special air quality statement for Toronto |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/raging-quebec-forest-fires-prompt-special-air-quality-statement-for-toronto-1.6866738 |access-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630101227/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/special-air-quality-statement-toronto-forest-fire-smoke-1.6866738 |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as most of [[Southern Ontario]] on June 5–7 to hit the highest level on [[Environment Canada]]'s Air Quality Health Index, the worst in the province of Ontario.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Air quality risk 'off the charts' in Ottawa because of fire smoke |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/air-quality-fire-smoke-ottawa-gatineau-1.6865730 |access-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630101150/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/air-quality-fire-smoke-ottawa-gatineau-1.6865730 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rocca |first=Ryan |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Air quality statements in effect for large part of Ontario as forest fires rage in Quebec |publisher=[[Global News]] |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9748674/air-quality-statement-ontario-quebec-wildfires/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606141701/https://globalnews.ca/news/9748674/air-quality-statement-ontario-quebec-wildfires/ |archive-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref> Air quality also hit the highest level in [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]] and [[Belleville, Ontario]].<ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Dangerously bad, smoky air persists in Ottawa area -ca |publisher=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/air-quality-fire-smoke-ottawa-gatineau-1.6865730 |access-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630101150/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/air-quality-fire-smoke-ottawa-gatineau-1.6865730 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Smoke from the fires descended on Ottawa once again on June 25–26, reaching the maximum level by 11 {{nbsp}}am. This forced the city of Ottawa to cancel outdoor programs, races at the [[Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival]] were cancelled, as were activities at the Ottawa Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 25, 2023 |title=Poor air quality across Ottawa Sunday causes many events to be cancelled -ca |publisher=[[CTV News]] |url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/poor-air-quality-across-ottawa-sunday-causes-many-events-to-be-cancelled-1.6454950 |access-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625200400/https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/poor-air-quality-across-ottawa-sunday-causes-many-events-to-be-cancelled-1.6454950 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 28, the air quality in Toronto ranked among the worst in the world and once again reached the highest level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index. This forced a number of city-run outdoor recreation programs to move indoors.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Air quality in Toronto ranked 6th worst in the world |work=[[CBC News]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-air-quality-wildfire-smoke-1.6891013 |access-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628110825/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-air-quality-wildfire-smoke-1.6891013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

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=== Evacuations ===

Estimates of the number of displaced vary. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimated that 185,000 people were displaced, representing 43% of worldwide wildfire-related displacements for 2023. Forty-three thousand of those were in Alberta, and 59,000 were in British Columbia.<ref name="d308"/> The State of Wildfires report estimated that 232,000 were evacuated.<ref name="v065">{{cite journal | last=Jones | first=Matthew W. | last2=Kelley | first2=Douglas I. | last3=Burton | first3=Chantelle A. | last4=Di Giuseppe | first4=Francesca | last5=Barbosa | first5=Maria Lucia F. | last6=Brambleby | first6=Esther | last7=Hartley | first7=Andrew J. | last8=Lombardi | first8=Anna | last9=Mataveli | first9=Guilherme | last10=McNorton | first10=Joe R. | last11=Spuler | first11=Fiona R. | last12=Wessel | first12=Jakob B. | last13=Abatzoglou | first13=John T. | last14=Anderson | first14=Liana O. | last15=Andela | first15=Niels | last16=Archibald | first16=Sally | last17=Armenteras | first17=Dolors | last18=Burke | first18=Eleanor | last19=Carmenta | first19=Rachel | last20=Chuvieco | first20=Emilio | last21=Clarke | first21=Hamish | last22=Doerr | first22=Stefan H. | last23=Fernandes | first23=Paulo M. | last24=Giglio | first24=Louis | last25=Hamilton | first25=Douglas S. | last26=Hantson | first26=Stijn | last27=Harris | first27=Sarah | last28=Jain | first28=Piyush | last29=Kolden | first29=Crystal A. | last30=Kurvits | first30=Tiina | last31=Lampe | first31=Seppe | last32=Meier | first32=Sarah | last33=New | first33=Stacey | last34=Parrington | first34=Mark | last35=Perron | first35=Morgane M. G. | last36=Qu | first36=Yuquan | last37=Ribeiro | first37=Natasha S. | last38=Saharjo | first38=Bambang H. | last39=San-Miguel-Ayanz | first39=Jesus | last40=Shuman | first40=Jacquelyn K. | last41=Tanpipat | first41=Veerachai | last42=van der Werf | first42=Guido R. | last43=Veraverbeke | first43=Sander | last44=Xanthopoulos | first44=Gavriil | title=State of Wildfires 2023–2024 | journal=Earth System Science Data | publisher=Copernicus GmbH | volume=16 | issue=8 | date=2024-08-14 | issn=1866-3516 | doi=10.5194/essd-16-3601-2024 | doi-access=free | pages=3601–3685 | display-authors=1| hdl=10871/137179 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

==== Alberta evacuations ====

Multiple settlements were placed under evacuation orders, resulting in over 29,000 Albertans being evacuated by May 7.<ref name="AP Canada Evacuations" /><ref name="29,000">{{cite news |last1=Salahieh |first1=Nouran |last2=Burnside |first2=Tina |last3=Simonson |first3=Amy |date=May 8, 2023 |title=More than 29,000 people are evacuated from communities throughout Alberta as wildfires rage in Canada |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/08/weather/alberta-canada-wildfires-monday/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508120802/https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/08/weather/alberta-canada-wildfires-monday/index.html |archive-date=May 8, 2023}}</ref> On May 11, at least 300 members of the [[Canadian Armed Forces]] were sent to different parts of Alberta to help.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mertz |first=Emily |date=May 11, 2023 |title=Alberta wildfires: Where and how are Canadian Armed Forces deployed? |publisher=[[Global News]] |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9690879/alberta-wildfires-where-how-canadian-armed-forces-deployed/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512192131/https://globalnews.ca/news/9690879/alberta-wildfires-where-how-canadian-armed-forces-deployed/ |archive-date=May 12, 2023}}</ref>

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By the evening of August 15, Yellowknife itself began issuing precautionary evacuation alerts to parts of the city, as the wildfire began drawing closer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 15, 2023 |title=Wildfire threat to Yellowknife 'serious,' parts of city on evacuation alert |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-premier-update-wildfires-1.6937511 |url-status=live |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816050152/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-premier-update-wildfires-1.6937511 |archive-date=August 16, 2023}}</ref> On the same day, Michael St Amour, the mayor of Enterprise, said that between 85–90% of his town was destroyed by the fires.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 15, 2023 |title=Enterprise, N.W.T., '90 per cent gone' after wildfire ravages community |work=CBC News |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/enterprise-nwt-90-per-cent-gone-after-wildfire-ravages-community-234851274.html?guccounter=1 |url-status=live |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816050152/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/enterprise-nwt-90-per-cent-gone-after-wildfire-ravages-community-234851274.html?guccounter=1 |archive-date=August 16, 2023}}</ref> On the evening of August 16, evacuation orders were issued for Yellowknife, [[Ndilǫ|N’dilo]], [[Dettah]], and [[Ingraham Trail]], affecting an estimated 22,000 people.<ref name=":19" />

On August 19~~, 2023~~, 87% of Yellowknife was evacuated by 6:58 {{nbsp}}am (ET), with only 2,600 of the original 20,000 remaining, 1,000 of which were essential workers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graveland |first=Bill |date=August 19, 2023 |title='Most of the people are now gone': Yellowknife nearly emptied as fire fight continues |url=https://www.cp24.com/news/most-of-the-people-are-now-gone-yellowknife-nearly-emptied-as-fire-fight-continues-1.6526012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820234348/https://www.cp24.com/news/most-of-the-people-are-now-gone-yellowknife-nearly-emptied-as-fire-fight-continues-1.6526012 |archive-date=August 20, 2023 |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=cp24 |language=en}}</ref> By August 21, 68% of the population of the Northwest Territories had been evacuated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carroll |first=Luke |date=August 21, 2023 |title=N.W.T. says it won't offer financial aid to evacuees paying for their own accommodations |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-wildfire-update-august-21-2023-1.6943142 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822014730/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-wildfire-update-august-21-2023-1.6943142 |archive-date=August 22, 2023 |access-date=August 21, 2023 |website=[[CBC News]]}}</ref>

[[Air Canada]] and [[WestJet]] were initially criticized for high prices and unwaived cancellation fees for flights to and from Yellowknife; they had since changed policies to alleviate financial burden for evacuees as of August 17. Both carriers also increased the number of flights to Yellowknife.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Sophia |date=August 17, 2023 |title=WestJet, Air Canada face criticism over Yellowknife flights as wildfires rage |work=CBC.ca |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-air-canada-wildfire-yellowknife-1.6939525 |url-status=live |access-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817203713/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-air-canada-wildfire-yellowknife-1.6939525 |archive-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref>

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==== Economic ====

In mid-May, oil companies in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan curbed production as a precautionary measure in parts of the provinces; this in turn drove up the price of oil.<ref>{{cite news |last=Newburger |first=Emma |date=May 17, 2023 |title=Wildfires burn millions of acres in Canada, send oil prices higher |publisher=[[CNBC]] |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/17/wildfires-burn-millions-of-acres-in-canada-send-oil-prices-higher.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610021038/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/17/wildfires-burn-millions-of-acres-in-canada-send-oil-prices-higher.html |archive-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref> The cost of drought and wildfires in Alberta totaled $2.9 billion.<ref name="d308"/>

Many businesses were affected by evacuations, road closures, and travel advisories from countries warning residents not to travel to Canada.<ref name="p135">{{cite news | last=Lompe | first=Hope | title=Fires of 2023 burn holes in tourism operator pockets | publisher=Castanet | date=2024-08-19 | url=https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/502163/Fires-of-2023-burn-holes-in-tourism-operator-pockets | access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref> A report from [[Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada]] (ISED) noted that British Columbia was hit especially hard, with tourist destinations such as [[Tofino, British Columbia|Tofino]] suffered from collapsing hotel occupancy rates, and that by September 2023 the fires had cost Canada over $3 billion.<ref name="p135"/> The effects continued into 2024 as travellers became reluctant to book trips in advance in case of fires.<ref name="p135"/>

==== Political ====

The wildfires impacted the [[2023 Alberta general election|Alberta general election]] scheduled for May 29~~, 2023~~. The [[Alberta New Democratic Party]] announced the party would stop campaigning in the seven ridings hit particularly hard by the fires: [[Drayton Valley-Devon]], [[Lesser Slave Lake (electoral district)|Lesser Slave Lake]], [[Central Peace-Notley]], [[Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland]], [[Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville]], [[West Yellowhead]], and [[Grande Prairie-Wapiti]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Climenhaga |first=David |date=2023-05-07 |title=Wildfire state of emergency introduces new calculus to Alberta election campaign |url=https://albertapolitics.ca/2023/05/wildfire-state-of-emergency-introduces-new-calculus-to-alberta-election-campaign/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507061538/https://albertapolitics.ca/2023/05/wildfire-state-of-emergency-introduces-new-calculus-to-alberta-election-campaign/ |archive-date=2023-05-07 |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Alberta Politics |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== International effects ==

[[File:Air quality 2023 canadian wildfires.png|thumb|A map of Canada and the United States showing the number of days where [[PM2.5]] levels exceeded safe limits.]]

=== Effects on environment and climate ===

▲Pollution due to a global increase in wildfires has created widespread, long-term impacts on human health.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gao |first1=Yuan |last2=Huang |first2=Wenzhong |last3=Yu |first3=Pei |last4=Xu |first4=Rongbin |last5=Yang |first5=Zhengyu |last6=Gasevic |first6=Danijela |last7=Ye |first7=Tingting |last8=Guo |first8=Yuming |last9=Li |first9=Shanshan |date=March 2023 |title=Long-term impacts of non-occupational wildfire exposure on human health: A systematic review |journal=[[Environmental Pollution (journal)|Environmental Pollution]] |volume=320 |page=121041 |doi=10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121041 |pmid=36639044 |bibcode=2023EPoll.32021041G |s2cid=255695901}}</ref> Due to wildfire emissions, Canada broke its record for annual [[carbon emissions]] in late June.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Paige |title=Wildfire Emissions in Canada for First Half of 2023 Are Already Worse Than Any Full Year on Record |url=https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-emissions-record-2023.html |access-date=June 29, 2023 |agency=Ecowatch |date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629154255/https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-emissions-record-2023.html |url-status=live}}</ref> As of late August, the wildfires had released 327–355 [[megatonnes]] of [[carbon]] into the atmosphere.<ref name=":33">{{Cite news |last=Lamberink |first=Liny |date=August 28, 2023 |title=N.W.T. fires have released 97 megatonnes of carbon, says European agency — 277 times what its people emit |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-fire-emissions-2023-1.6948761 |access-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831054349/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-fire-emissions-2023-1.6948761 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":34">{{cite web |last1=Freedman |first1=Andrew |title=Canada's wildfire emissions skyrocket as fires spread |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/08/23/canada-wildfires-carbon-emissions |access-date=11 October 2023 |website=Axios |publisher=Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service}}</ref> The emissions from the fires were more than double Canada's planned emissions reductions from 2020–2030.<ref name="e532">{{cite journal | last=Wang | first=Zhe | last2=Wang | first2=Zifa | last3=Zou | first3=Zhiyin | last4=Chen | first4=Xueshun | last5=Wu | first5=Huangjian | last6=Wang | first6=Wending | last7=Su | first7=Hang | last8=Li | first8=Fang | last9=Xu | first9=Wenru | last10=Liu | first10=Zhihua | last11=Zhu | first11=Jiaojun | title=Severe Global Environmental Issues Caused by Canada’s Record-Breaking Wildfires in 2023 | journal=Advances in Atmospheric Sciences | date=2023-11-17 | issn=0256-1530 | doi=10.1007/s00376-023-3241-0 | display-authors=1}}</ref> According to Merritt Turetsky, a [[carbon cycle]] scientist, this is a "vicious cycle" as warming is associated with drier vegetation, drier vegetation ignites more rapidly, [[Greenhouse gas|greenhouse gases]] are released, and greenhouse gases "wind up in the atmosphere, [causing] more warming".<ref name=":34" />

Scientists from the [[World Resources Institute]] and the [[University of Maryland]] estimated the overall emissions as 3.28bn tons (2.98 metric tons) more than fossil fuel emissions of [[Greenhouse gas emissions by India|India]]. According to professor Jacob Bendix, “The loss of that much forest is a very big deal, and very worrisome,” “Although the forest will eventually grow back and sequester carbon in doing so, that is a process that will take decades at a minimum, so that there is a quite substantial lag between addition of atmospheric carbon due to wildfire and the eventual removal of at least some of it by the regrowing forest. So, over the course of those decades, the net impact of the fires is a contribution to climate warming.”<ref>{{cite news |title=Canada’s 2023 wildfires created four times more emissions than planes did last year – report |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/27/canada-2023-wildfires-carbon-emissions |access-date=7 July 2024 |agency=The Guardian |publisher=The Associated Press |date=27 June 2024}}</ref> The fires represented over a quarter of global tree loss in 2023,<ref name="r744">{{cite journal | last=MacCarthy | first=James | last2=Tyukavina | first2=Alexandra | last3=Weisse | first3=Mikaela J | last4=Harris | first4=Nancy | last5=Glen | first5=Erin | title=Extreme wildfires in Canada and their contribution to global loss in tree cover and carbon emissions in 2023 | journal=Global Change Biology | volume=30 | issue=6 | date=2024 | issn=1354-1013 | doi=10.1111/gcb.17392 | page=}}</ref> and the [[Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service]] estimated that they produced 23% of global wildfire carbon emissions in 2023.<ref name="p380">{{cite web | title= Canada produced 23% of the global wildfire carbon emissions for 2023 | website=Copernicus | date=2023-12-12 | url=https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/copernicus-canada-produced-23-global-wildfire-carbon-emissions-2023 | access-date=2024-08-02}}</ref>

=== United States ===

[[File:Empire State Building on June 7, 2023.jpg|thumb|The [[Empire State Building]] seen from the ground on June 7~~, 2023~~ ]]

==== May ====

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==== June ====

[[File:The Smog 2023.png|thumb|~~the~~ New York City skyline on June 6, ~~2023~~ as seen from [[Hoboken]]]]

[[File:Quebec Canada Wildfire Smoke Consumes New Jersey and New York City June 7 2023 - 52959378738.jpg|thumb|The [[Statue of Liberty]] on June 7~~, 2023~~ ]]

On June 2, smoke from the Nova Scotia wildfires affected air quality in Washington, D.C., and the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.<ref name="AP Nova Scotia" /> The smoke from wildfires in Quebec<ref>{{cite news |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Canada wildfires: Tens of millions under air quality warnings as fires burn -GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65828469 |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606234140/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65828469 |archive-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref> drifted into the [[Northeastern United States]] on June 5–6 and triggered air quality alerts for most of New York, Connecticut and some of the surrounding states, as well as the [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern]] states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chow |first=Denise |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Air quality levels in parts of the U.S. plunge as Canada wildfires rage |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/canada-wildfires-smoke-air-quality-rcna87732 |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606123725/https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/canada-wildfires-smoke-air-quality-rcna87732 |archive-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name="FW Code Red">{{cite news |last=Oberholtz |first=Chris |date=June 6, 2023 |title=New York City in code red 'unhealthy' air quality as Canadian wildfire smoke pours into Northeast |publisher=[[Fox Weather]] |url=https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/nyc-unhealthy-air-quality-northeast-canada-wildfires |access-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630102826/https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/nyc-unhealthy-air-quality-northeast-canada-wildfires |url-status=live}}</ref> The smoke on June 6 was estimated by one Stanford researcher to have been the third-worst in the country since 2006.<ref name="NBC NY Air">{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Air quality live updates: New York City has the worst air in the world as smoke from Canadian wildfires rolls in |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/unhealthy-air-quality-canada-wildfires-live-updates-rcna88092 |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607181652/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/unhealthy-air-quality-canada-wildfires-live-updates-rcna88092 |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> On June 6 and 7, [[Photovoltaic power station|solar farms]] in the Northeast and Midwest dropped production by around or more than 50% due to the smoke.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Smoke Sends US Northeast Solar Power Plunging by 50% as Wildfires Rage in Canada |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-08/smoke-sends-northeast-solar-power-plunging-by-50-as-wildfires-rage |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630103348/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-08/smoke-sends-northeast-solar-power-plunging-by-50-as-wildfires-rage |archive-date=June 30, 2023}}</ref> By the night of June 6, [[New York City]] had the worst air pollution of any major city in the world; by the morning of June 7 it had fallen to second place, behind [[Delhi]].<ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=New York City has the worst air quality in the world as smoke from Canadian wildfires rolls in |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/unhealthy-air-quality-canada-wildfires-live-updates-rcna88092 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921075647/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/unhealthy-air-quality-canada-wildfires-live-updates-rcna88092 |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |quote=The air quality in New York City was the worst in the world Wednesday, according to IQAir.com, a tracking service.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yan |first1=Holly |last2=Elamroussi |first2=Aya |last3=Tebor |first3=Celina |last4=Tirrell |first4=Meg |last5=Burnside |first5=Tina |last6=Tucker |first6=Emma |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Intense smoke fills NYC and forces a 'code red' in Philadelphia as millions from the East Coast to Canada suffer from Quebec's wildfires |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/07/weather/new-york-air-pollution-canada-wildfires-climate-wednesday/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607124233/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/07/weather/new-york-air-pollution-canada-wildfires-climate-wednesday/index.html |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Live updates: Eastern U.S. air quality reaches harmful levels as Canadian wildfires rage |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-smoke-air-quality-updates/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607161349/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/06/07/canada-wildfires-smoke-air-quality-updates/ |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> This also marked the city's worst air quality since the 1960s and also since the [[1966 New York City smog]].<ref name="NYT Worsening Air" />

By June 7, air quality alerts also went out to residents in the [[Delaware Valley]] in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and to additional areas in [[New England]].<ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Air quality alert: Smoke from wildfires in Canada leads to code red across Delaware Valley |publisher=[[WPVI-TV]] |url=https://6abc.com/air-quality-alert-smoke-in-philadelphia-canada-wildfires-pa/13354267/ |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630102832/https://6abc.com/air-quality-philadelphia-alert-pennsylvania-new-jersey-delaware/13361876/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Air Quality Alert: Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts across New England |publisher=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/quebec-ontario-wildfires-smoke-new-england-boston-canada-air-quality-alert/ |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630102831/https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/quebec-ontario-wildfires-smoke-new-england-boston-canada-air-quality-alert/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In total, approximately 128 million Americans were under air quality alerts by the evening of June 7.<ref name="NBC NY Air" /> The [[Air quality index#United States|air quality index]] surpassed 400 in New York City; [[Syracuse, New York]]; [[Princeton Junction, New Jersey]]; and the [[Lehigh Valley]] in Pennsylvania.<ref name="NYT Worsening Air" /><ref name="AP Hazardous Air">{{cite news |last1=Peltz |first1=Jennifer |last2=Gillies |first2=Rob |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Millions breathing hazardous air as smoke from Canadian wildfires streams south over US |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608032839/https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5 |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> After a brief respite, New York City's air quality returned to being the worst of any major city in the world.<ref name="NBC NY Air" />

On June 7, New York City officials announced plans to distribute one million [[N95 respirator|N95 masks]].<ref name="NBC NY Air" /><ref name="AP Hazardous Air" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Dillinger |first=Katherine |date=June 7, 2023 |title=New York state to make 1 million N95 masks available to residents due to poor air quality |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/us-air-quality-canadian-wildfires-06-07-23/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607163247/https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/us-air-quality-canadian-wildfires-06-07-23/index.html |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> Several airline flights to and from New York City, New Jersey, and [[Washington, D.C.]] were delayed or cancelled;<ref>{{cite news |date=June 7, 2023 |title=La Guardia and Newark flight delays over Canada wildfire smoke -GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65839336 |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608023937/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65839336 |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> by the afternoon, the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] halted all flights going to [[LaGuardia Airport]] in New York City, citing visibility concerns.<ref name="AP Hazardous Air" /><ref name="NYT Worsening Air" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Josephs |first=Leslie |date=June 7, 2023 |title=New York-area flights delayed as Canada wildfire smoke cuts visibility |publisher=[[CNBC]] |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/07/flights-new-york-smoke-wildfires.html |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630102830/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/07/flights-new-york-smoke-wildfires.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Schools across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced closures.<ref name="NYT Worsening Air">{{cite news |last1=Ives |first1=Mike |last2=Stack |first2=Liam |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Here's the latest on the worsening air quality in the U.S. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/07/us/canada-wildfires-air-quality-smoke |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607115708/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/07/us/canada-wildfires-air-quality-smoke |archive-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> All bridges connecting [[Staten Island]] to New Jersey had their speed limits reduced to {{convert|30|mph|kph|abbr=on}} due to low visibility from the wildfire smoke.<ref>[https://www.nj.com/news/2023/06/speed-limits-across-nj-bridges-reduced-due-to-low-visibility-from-wildfire-haze.html Speed limits across N.J. bridges reduced due to low visibility from wildfire haze], [[NJ.com]], June 7, 2023</ref> [[Major League Baseball]], the [[National Women's Soccer League]], and the [[Women's National Basketball Association]] postponed games scheduled to be held in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia the night of June 7.<ref name="AP Hazardous Air" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Mike |date=June 7, 2023 |title=MLB, WNBA postpone games due to smoke from Canadian wildfires |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-yankees-white-sox-canada-wildfires-18874c689cdb894939910c556dc6f30c |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608031658/https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-yankees-white-sox-canada-wildfires-18874c689cdb894939910c556dc6f30c |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> [[The Public Theater]] cancelled its June 8 and 9 [[Shakespeare in the Park (New York City)|Shakespeare in the Park]] performances of ''[[Hamlet]]''.<ref name="NBC NY Air" /> On [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], performances of ''[[Camelot (musical)|Camelot]]'', ''[[Hamilton (musical)|Hamilton]],'' and ''[[Prima Facie (play)|Prima Facie]]'' were cancelled due to the poor air quality.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Jodie Comer halts Broadway show due to New York air quality: 'I can't breathe' |work=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/jodie-comer-broadway-nyc-air-quality-b2353592.html |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630102835/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/jodie-comer-broadway-nyc-air-quality-b2353592.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Cristi |first=A. A. |title=CAMELOT, HAMILTON Cancel Tonight's Performances Due To Air Quality |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CAMELOT-Cancels-Tonights-Performance-Due-To-Air-Quality-Updating-Live-20230607 |access-date=June 8, 2023 |website=[[BroadwayWorld]] |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630103850/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CAMELOT-Cancels-Tonights-Performance-Due-To-Air-Quality-Updating-Live-20230607 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Smoke_in_Minneapolis.jpg|thumb|Wildfire smoke in Minneapolis on June 14th]]

On the morning of June 8, air quality was worst throughout the area surrounding Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and [[Trenton, New Jersey]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ives |first1=Mike |last2=Williams |first2=Kevin |last3=Stack |first3=Liam |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Wildfire Smoke Spreads Across Swaths of U.S.: Live News and Updates |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/08/us/canada-wildfires-air-quality-smoke?name=styln-wildfires-smoke |url-access=limited |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608133305/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/08/us/canada-wildfires-air-quality-smoke?name=styln-wildfires-smoke&region=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Interactive&variant=undefined |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Dong |first1=Madison |last2=Malsky |first2=Bea |last3=Bloch |first3=Matthew |last4=Gómez |first4=Martín González |last5=Jones |first5=Judson |last6=Murphy |first6=John-Michael |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Canada Wildfire Tracker: Maps, Air Quality and Latest Smoke Forecast |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/smoke-maps-canada-fires.html |url-access=limited |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608133105/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/smoke-maps-canada-fires.html |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> [[Philadelphia]]'s air quality levels reached their worst levels since 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bella |first=Timothy |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Philadelphia's hazardous air quality from Canadian wildfires is worst level in city since 1999 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/08/philadelphia-air-quality-worst-wildfire-smoke/ |access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> New York City climbed into the worst tier of the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]]'s six-tier air quality index, causing Governor [[Kathy Hochul]] to call it an "emergency crisis".<ref name="NYT Worsening Air" /> Flights continued to be delayed for planes bound for Newark, New York City, and Philadelphia, with delays for Charlotte and Dallas also expected.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Arkin |first1=Daniel |last2=Blackman |first2=Jay |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Canadian wildfire smoke disrupts U.S. air travel |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/canadian-wildfire-smoke-disrupts-us-air-travel-rcna88335 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608204414/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/canadian-wildfire-smoke-disrupts-us-air-travel-rcna88335 |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref><ref name="CNN FAA">{{Cite news |last=Sgueglia |first=Kristina |date=June 8, 2023 |title=FAA delays flights into New York and Newark airports as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads |publisher=[[CNN Business]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/08/business/faa-groundstop/index.html |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630104341/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/08/business/faa-groundstop/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bailey |first=Chelsea |date=June 7, 2023 |title=Canada wildfire smoke: Flights grounded across US east coast -GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65839336 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608023937/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65839336 |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> [[United Airlines]] issued travel waivers to impacted passengers.<ref name="CNN FAA" /> [[Horse racing]] at [[Belmont Park]] in New York was cancelled,<ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=NY governor warns Belmont Stakes could be affected if air quality doesn't improve |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-air-quality-belmont-mlb-7b056b200247faec759f97882ebc3808 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630104333/https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-air-quality-belmont-mlb-7b056b200247faec759f97882ebc3808 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Major League Baseball also postponed a game in Washington D.C. that night.<ref>[https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/mlb/belmont-cancels-racing-and-nationals-postpone-game-due-to-poor-air-quality-from-canada-wildfires/4405970/?amp=1 Belmont cancels racing and Nationals postpone game due to poor air quality from Canada wildfires], Storm Team 4 NY, June 8, 2023</ref> The [[Bronx Zoo]] closed on June 8 due to smoke.<ref>[https://bronx.news12.com/bronx-zoo-shuts-its-doors-due-to-air-quality-concerns Bronx Zoo shuts its doors due to air quality concerns], Bronx News 12, June 8, 2023</ref>

[[New York City Department of Education|New York City public high schools]] and the [[School District of Philadelphia]] announced they would switch to [[Virtual learning environment|virtual learning]] on June 9, due to poor air quality.<ref name="NBC NY Air" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=School District of Philadelphia shifting to virtual learning Friday due to Canadian wildfire smoke |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/philadelphia-schools-virtual-canada-wildfire-smoke-wildfire/ |access-date=June 9, 2023 |publisher=[[KYW-TV]] |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608220705/https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/philadelphia-schools-virtual-canada-wildfire-smoke-wildfire/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=School Calendar and Closures |url=https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02522 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |publisher=NYC 311 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609233607/https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02522 |url-status=live }}</ref> By June 11, air quality alerts were still active in New York City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, but air quality had substantially improved from earlier in the week.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yang |first=Maya |date=June 11, 2023 |title=Poor air quality returns to US north-east from Canada wildfires -GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/11/poor-air-quality-returns-to-us-north-east-canada-wildfires |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611235945/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/11/poor-air-quality-returns-to-us-north-east-canada-wildfires |url-status=live }}</ref>

On June 14, an air quality alert was issued for Minnesota due to dangerous air quality levels affecting the state. The air quality in [[Minneapolis]] reached 256 at 6:00{{Nbsp}}pm that day.<ref>[https://m.startribune.com/air-quality-alert-issued-for-much-of-minnesota-twin-cities/600282533/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n Air quality alert expanded as pollution reaches record levels] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616214020/https://m.startribune.com/air-quality-alert-issued-for-much-of-minnesota-twin-cities/600282533/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n |date=June 16, 2023 }}, Star Tribune, June 14, 2023</ref> On June 27, the smoke spread over the Midwest, causing [[Chicago]] to suffer from the worst air quality in the world, reaching 228 AQI.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Chicago has the worst air quality in the world due to Canadian wildfire smoke |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicago-worst-air-quality-canadian-wildfire-smoke-june-27-2023/ |last=O'Kane |first=Caitlin |access-date=June 28, 2023 |publisher=[[CBS News]] |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628023115/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicago-worst-air-quality-canadian-wildfire-smoke-june-27-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Michigan and Pennsylvania were also affected,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hernandez |first1=Joe |last2=Treisman |first2=Rachel |last3=Ritchie |first3=L. Carol |last4=Olson |first4=Emily |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Detroit, Chicago and the Midwest blanketed by wildfire haze from Canada |publisher=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1184746530/why-haze-wildfire-canada-midwest |access-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628140210/https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1184746530/why-haze-wildfire-canada-midwest |url-status=live }}</ref> and sent out air quality alerts to residents.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Samilton |first=Tracy |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Smoke from Canadian wildfires again threatening health in Michigan - What to know |url=https://www.michiganradio.org/environment-climate-change/2023-06-27/smoke-from-canadian-wildfires-again-threatening-health-in-michigan |access-date=June 28, 2023 |publisher=[[Michigan Radio]] |archive-date=June 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627225449/https://www.michiganradio.org/environment-climate-change/2023-06-27/smoke-from-canadian-wildfires-again-threatening-health-in-michigan |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shugarts |first=Doug |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Air quality declines in Pittsburgh as smoke and haze from Canadian wildfires blanket metro area |url=https://www.wesa.fm/environment-energy/2023-06-28/pittsburgh-air-canadian-wildfires |access-date=June 28, 2023 |publisher=[[WESA (FM)|WESA]] |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628120358/https://www.wesa.fm/environment-energy/2023-06-28/pittsburgh-air-canadian-wildfires |url-status=live}}</ref> Air quality alerts were issued for 80 million people in the US.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hemingway Jaynes |first1=Cristen |title=80 Million People in U.S. Under Air Quality Alerts as Canada's Wildfire Smoke Swings South Again |url=https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-smoke-us-air-quality.html |access-date=June 29, 2023 |agency=Ecowatch |date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629160525/https://www.ecowatch.com/canada-wildfire-smoke-us-air-quality.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On June 29, an MLB game in [[Pittsburgh]] was delayed by 45 minutes, and several players on the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] were upset with the MLB for not postponing the game.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pirates players call out MLB for playing game through wildfire smoke, Andrew McCutchen wears mask on bases |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/pirates-players-call-out-mlb-for-playing-game-through-wildfire-smoke-andrew-mccutchen-wears-mask-on-bases/ |access-date=June 16, 2024 |publisher=CBS Sports |date=June 29, 2023}}</ref>

=== Europe ===

[[File:Atlanticsmoketransport_tmo_2023177.jpg|thumb|Smoke over Spain and Portugal on June 27~~, 2023~~]]

The wildfire smoke also drifted to Europe; as of May 23–25, it was mainly located over [[Scandinavia]].<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1661721791851634693 |user=m_parrington |title=Long-range transport of smoke 1–25 May from North American & Eurasian boreal #wildfires represented by @CopernicusECMWF Atmosphere Monitoring Service @ECMWF organic matter aerosol optical depth analyses assimilating multiple satellite🛰️ observations |first=Mark |last=Parrington |date=May 25, 2023 |access-date=May 26, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Smoke from Canada wildfires reaches Europe |url=https://www.copernicus.eu/en/media/image-day-gallery/smoke-canada-wildfires-reaches-europe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607223524/https://www.copernicus.eu/en/media/image-day-gallery/smoke-canada-wildfires-reaches-europe |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=June 7, 2023 |publisher=[[Copernicus Programme]]}}</ref> On June 8, [[Iceland]] and [[Greenland]] were affected by drifting smoke,<ref name=":28" /> with forecasts suggesting [[Norway]] would also be affected over the next few days.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Smoke from Canadian wildfires forecast to reach Norway |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/norway-canada-wildfires-smoke-aad296c7b84cc969014614748aaa1046 |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608113843/https://apnews.com/article/norway-canada-wildfires-smoke-aad296c7b84cc969014614748aaa1046 |archive-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":28">{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Derrick Bryson |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Smoke from the wildfires stretches across the Atlantic to Norway. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/world/europe/canada-wildfires-smoke-norway.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609011900/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/world/europe/canada-wildfires-smoke-norway.html |archive-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref> As of June 9, smoke in Europe was not dense enough to have harmful effects on health.<ref>{{cite news |last=Paddison |first=Laura |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Smoke from Canada's wildfires has reached as far as Norway |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/europe/canada-wildfires-norway-smoke-climate-intl/index.html |access-date=June 12, 2023 |publisher=[[CNN]] |archive-date=June 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611115413/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/europe/canada-wildfires-norway-smoke-climate-intl/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Anguiano |first=Dani |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Smoke from Canadian wildfires hits Norway and flows to southern Europe -GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/09/canada-wildfire-smoke-norway-southern-europe-health-risk |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612003354/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/09/canada-wildfire-smoke-norway-southern-europe-health-risk |url-status=live}}</ref>

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== Fatalities ==

~~Ten~~Six people, ~~including~~ four of them firefighters, died due to the wildfires.<ref name="WaPo 2023-10">{{Cite news |last=Livingston |first=Ian |date=2023-10-18 |title=Canada's astonishing and record fire season finally slows down |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/18/canada-historic-2023-wildfire-season-end/ |access-date=2024-04-04 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> On July 11, a 9-year-old boy in [[100 Mile House]], B.C., died after suffering an asthma attack worsened by wildfire smoke.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=CNN |first=Sara |last=Smart |date=July 18, 2023 |title=9-year-old Canadian boy dies after suffering asthma attack worsened by wildfire smoke, parents say |url=https://www.kwwl.com/news/national/9-year-old-canadian-boy-dies-after-suffering-asthma-attack-worsened-by-wildfire-smoke-parents/article_10effeea-2d8f-5f7c-a68f-79960a295679.html |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=KWWL |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826162036/https://www.kwwl.com/news/national/9-year-old-canadian-boy-dies-after-suffering-asthma-attack-worsened-by-wildfire-smoke-parents/article_10effeea-2d8f-5f7c-a68f-79960a295679.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On July 13, a firefighter for the [[BC Wildfire Service|B.C. Wildfire Service]] was killed by a falling tree.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2023 |title='She made my world sparkle': Emotional procession held for fallen B.C. wildfire fighter in Revelstoke |url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/she-made-my-world-sparkle-emotional-procession-held-for-fallen-b-c-wildfire-fighter-in-revelstoke-1.6490526 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726022740/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/she-made-my-world-sparkle-emotional-procession-held-for-fallen-b-c-wildfire-fighter-in-revelstoke-1.6490526 |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=British Columbia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Devyn Helena Gale (November 24, 2003 - July 13, 2023) |url=https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/28483678/devyn-helena-gale/wall |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727132845/https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/28483678/devyn-helena-gale/wall |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |access-date=July 27, 2023 |publisher=Bowers Funeral Service}}</ref> On July 15, a firefighter for the Northwest Territories Forest Management Service died when he was struck by a falling tree.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |date=July 18, 2023 |title=Family remembers firefighter killed in N.W.T. as brave and passionate about his job |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/family-remembers-firefighter-killed-in-n-w-t-as-brave-and-passionate-about-his-job/article_eed0b0b7-002f-5f47-b8be-bb96addaf65b.html |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=Toronto Star |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726022738/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/family-remembers-firefighter-killed-in-n-w-t-as-brave-and-passionate-about-his-job/article_eed0b0b7-002f-5f47-b8be-bb96addaf65b.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On July 19, a firefighter was killed when his [[Bell 204/205|Bell 205A]] helicopter crashed as he was bucketing water as part of firefighting operations in northwestern Alberta.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Snowdon |first=Wallis |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Pilot dead after helicopter fighting wildfire crashes in northwestern Alberta |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-helicopter-wildfire-crash-1.6912301 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725032822/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-helicopter-wildfire-crash-1.6912301 |archive-date=Jul 25, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-20 |title=Helicopter pilot killed in crash during firefighting operation in northern Alberta |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/helicopter-pilot-killed-in-crash-during-firefighting-operation-in-northern-alberta-1.6487413 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Edmonton |language=en}}</ref> A contract firefighter was fatally injured in the Prince George Fire Centre region on July 28.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matassa-Fung |first=Darrian |date=July 29, 2023 |title=Firefighter killed in line of duty in Prince George Fire Centre region: BC Wildfire Service {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9865476/bc-firefighter-killed-prince-george-fire-centre/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729212812/https://globalnews.ca/news/9865476/bc-firefighter-killed-prince-george-fire-centre/ |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref> On August 18, a hospital patient from Yellowknife, N.W.T., died during the evacuation of the city.<ref name=":23">{{Cite news |last=Carroll |first=Luke |date=August 19, 2023 |title=Patient dies during evacuation of Yellowknife hospital |work=[[CBC.ca]] |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-wildfire-update-1.6941729 |url-status=live |access-date=August 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820015730/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-wildfire-update-1.6941729 |archive-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref> Additionally, on September 19, four contract crew members died in a vehicle crash with a [[Semi truck|semi-truck]] near [[Walhachin]], B.C., as they returned from a shift working on fires in the [[Vanderhoof, British Columbia|Vanderhoof]] region.<ref name=":35">{{Cite news |last1=Crawford |first1=Tiffany |last2=Ruttle |first2=Joseph |date=September 20, 2023 |title=Four B.C. Wildfire Service contract workers die in crash on Highway 1 near Walhachin |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/four-b-c-wildfire-service-sub-contractors-die-in-car-crash-on-highway-1-near-walhachin |work=[[Vancouver Sun]]}}</ref>

==Domestic government responses==

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===Government strategies for future fires===

The Canadian government ~~has~~ outlined a first line of actions that could help avoid or mitigate wildfires in future seasons:

* Training 300 Indigenous firefighters and 125 Indigenous fire guardians<ref name=":20">{{cite web |last=Canada |first=Natural Resources |date=2023-06-05 |title=The Government of Canada Provides Update on Wildfire Seasonal Outlook and Outlines Response |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/06/the-government-of-canada-provides-update-on-wildfire-seasonal-outlook-and-outlines-response.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.canada.ca |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817210456/https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/06/the-government-of-canada-provides-update-on-wildfire-seasonal-outlook-and-outlines-response.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Training firefighters to respond to fires in the wildland-urban interface<ref name=":20" />

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=== Conspiracy theories ===

[[Conspiracy theories]] ~~have been~~were promoted about the cause of the wildfires by [[Climate change denial|climate change deniers]], with [[arson]], [[Pyrotechnics|pyrotechnic]] drones, [[directed-energy weapon]]s and space lasers being among the supposed causes.<ref name=":11">{{cite web |last=Ling |first=Justin |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Denialists Are Blaming Anything but Climate for Canada's Fires |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/08/air-quality-canada-wildfire-smog-fire/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230609074208/https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/08/air-quality-canada-wildfire-smog-fire/ |archive-date=9 June 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=[[Foreign Policy]]}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Canada wildfires spark 'ecoterrorist' conspiracy theory |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230609-canada-wildfires-spark-ecoterrorist-conspiracy-theory |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=[[France 24]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725160043/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230609-canada-wildfires-spark-ecoterrorist-conspiracy-theory |url-status=live }}</ref> These conspiracy theories ~~have gone~~went viral on social media platforms such as [[TikTok]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marcus |first=Josh |date=June 18, 2023 |title=TikTok allowed millions of people to see Canadian 'helicopter' wildfire conspiracies |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/tiktok-canada-wildfire-conspiracy-theory-b2359863.html |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=[[The Independent]] |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725160042/https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/tiktok-canada-wildfire-conspiracy-theory-b2359863.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June, conspiracy theorists shared a TikTok video claiming that satellite footage showed the fires started spreading "at the same time" and that they were therefore caused deliberately.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thalen |first=Mikael |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Meteorologist explains that conspiratorial TikTok claiming Canadian wildfires all started at once |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/canada-wildfires-conspiracy-theories/ |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=[[The Daily Dot]] -US |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725160044/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/canada-wildfires-conspiracy-theories/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{cite web |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Truth or Fake - These satellite images do not prove that Canadian wildfires were caused deliberately |url=https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/20230615-these-satellite-images-do-not-prove-that-canadian-wildfires-were-deliberately-caused |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=France 24 |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725160054/https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/20230615-these-satellite-images-do-not-prove-that-canadian-wildfires-were-deliberately-caused |url-status=live }}</ref> [[France 24]] noted that the fires started over a period of twelve hours.<ref name=":12" /> Another TikTok video showed a helicopter carrying out [[backburning]] to get the fire under control, falsely claiming that it was the cause of the fires.<ref name=":11" /> Some social media users also falsely suggested that the haze seen over the United States was caused by [[ammonium nitrate]] instead of the wildfires.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roley |first=Gwen |date=June 22, 2023 |title=Canadian wildfire smoke changed sky's color, not chemical release |url=https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.33JY44F |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=[[Agence France-Presse]] |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725231757/https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.33JY44F |url-status=live}}</ref>

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Canadian former [[National Hockey League]] player [[Theo Fleury]] suggested on Twitter that governments are lying about the nature of climate change to facilitate "climate lockdowns".<ref name=":11" /> [[People's Party of Canada]] leader [[Maxime Bernier]] accused "green terrorism" of starting the fires.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":13" />

In early 2024, a Quebec man who posted conspiracy theories claiming the fires were started deliberately ~~pled~~by the government pleaded guilty to setting 14 fires himself, the largest of which burned over 872 hectares and resulted in the evacuation of about 500 homes in [[Chapais, Quebec|Chapais]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serebrin |first=Jacob |date=January 15, 2024 |title=Quebec man who blamed wildfires on government pleads guilty to setting 14 fires |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/brian-pare-pleads-guilty-to-setting-quebec-wildfires-1.7084669 |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=[[CBC.ca]] |agency=[[Canadian Press]]}}</ref>

== Fire progression ==