2025 wildfire season one of the worst on record, and it’s not over yet
Wildfires continue to burn across Canada with twice the area burned so far this year compared to the average for the past decade, according to the latest technical briefing from the Government of Canada.
And it’s expected to continue through September.
Hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have led to one of the most severe wildfire seasons on record, the report said, and western Canada has been “disproportionately” impacted, with the region having the most area burned so far.
The fires have led to multiple air quality warnings issued throughout parts of the country.
“Helping to ensure that the information we are providing is timely, reliable, and supporting effective responses on the ground is becoming more and more important every year because wildfires are becoming more frequent and more severe,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin speaking at a press conference.
“We know that the changing climate plays a significant role in this. Rising global temperatures are creating longer dry seasons and hotter conditions, which in turn Increases the risk of wildfires. These changes affect not only the environment, but also the health, safety and livelihoods of communities across Canada.”
How bad are the wildfires in 2025?
The National Preparedness Level classifies the amount of national resources committed to an area, as well as the demand for interagency resources through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), according to Natural Resources Canada.
As of July 18, the National Preparedness Level is at 5, the highest on the scale. Specifically, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are at Level 5, while most other provinces and territories are at Level 3.
Currently, there are 561 active wildfires in Canada, compared to 544 on July 17, with 69 considered “Out of Control,” the report says.
Although Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory have recorded the most fires so far in 2025, British Columbia and Alberta currently have the highest number of fires with a “Full Response.”
And more than 5.5 million hectares have been burned since the start of January through to July 18 — more than double the 10-year average of 2.12 million.
The report says higher than normal temperatures and below average rainfall may be key factors that have contributed to the intense and frequent wildfires in regions most impacted.
In the period from July 2024 to June 2025, temperatures were higher than normal across most of Canada, while B.C. saw close to normal values. In the month of June 2025, regions along the U.S. border were reported as having above normal temperatures.
Drought conditions were seen consistently across Canada over the past 12 months, and this has been the case for more than two years, the briefing says. Meanwhile, from April to June of 2025, “significantly lower than normal” rainfall was seen from B.C across to northwestern Ontario.
Eastern regions saw higher than normal precipitation levels from April to June of 2025.
The increasing frequency and severity of these wildfires not only impacts the overall health and safety of Canadians, but also the economy, with the costs quickly adding up every year.
“The last time we gathered for a wildfire forecast briefing, I spoke about how wildfires are not just an environmental issue, but a major economic challenge for Canada as well,” said Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson at the press conference.
“Last year alone, insured damages exceeded $8.5 billion. And by 2040, Natural Resources Canada estimates that fire suppression costs alone could double as wildfires become more frequent and severe.”
Will the situation improve later this season?
At the end of June, Environment and Climate Change Canada projected a high probability of above normal temperatures for “nearly all Canadian regions,” from July to September. Precipitation levels, too, are forecasted to be below normal for B.C. and the Prairies.
More immediately, the rest of July is expected to continue seeing an elevated fire danger throughout western Canada, with the highest fire danger focused on the southern part of Northwest Territories due to ongoing dry conditions.
In August, above average summer temperatures are expected to continue for most of Canada, the report says, with most of eastern Canada expected to see more rainfall, and likely a lower wildfire risk overall.
B.C. is expected to have the highest fire danger in August, which is somewhat consistent compared to previous reports.
Hodgson also announced a $12 million investment over four years to establish the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada, which he says will help Canada to “fight fires better” by sharing knowledge, science and technology with the help of domestic and foreign governments as well as the private sector.
The Government of Canada has released a report outlining the technical details about this year's wildfire season, include the damage done, and projections through September.
globalnews.ca
