Mega-Fires in Canada?
- Gowri Rayannavar
- Jul 18
- 2 min read
Canada has a different climate across many regions, making it home to a large, biodiverse wildlife. However, it's typically known for its cold winters from the north winds to warm summers near the long coastline, making it home not only to nature but, many families. Canada has one of the most extensive forests, with fresh water being very abundant. So you would expect cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Ottawa would be the perfect place for environmental harmony. Nonetheless, megafires have now been a common occurrence since March of 2023.
One of the major factors that is causing megafires to increase throughout the country is climate change, due to global temperatures escalating, causing drier and hotter summers in Canada. Other impactful factors include human activity, where carbon emissions are growing, and forest mismanagement, also known as “ Zombie Fires”. In 2023 alone, Canadian wildfires emitted roughly 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which has caused the repeating cycle of fires since. This all loops back to climate change as it is a cause and an effect of the mega fires in Canada. This has caused severe soil and water threats due to the increasing soil erosion and polluted runoff. This is not only a threat to humans but also to the vast species of animals that call Canada their home.
In spite of all of the damage done to Canada's forests, the country is quick to create new initiatives in the hope of restoring lost forest lands. Programs like the 2 Billion Trees initiative have planted over 110 million trees to rehabilitate burned landscapes and build resilience to fires that burn fast and in large amounts. Another project launched is the WildFireSat satellite, dedicated to wildfire detection as well as improved remote sensing and modeling tools to better track burn areas and emissions. Canada is a great example of working together to combat a problem that seems to only worsen beyond our control. Though climate change may seem like something that's far out of reverse, small steps taken, like Canada, can make a difference as more people work together. So let's take this as a reminder and help our home one step at a time.
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