2023 Canadian wildfires: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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Line 31: 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|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,<!--which is about 362 million ha. Rounding the number means that "about 5" is 4.5-5.499...--><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 {{convert|27300|km2|sqmi|sigfig=5}} for that time of the year.<ref name="SitArchive"/> As of mid-October, 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> Six people died due to the wildfires,<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> | |||