Archived reports

• Data courtesy of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC).
• Check the Air Quality Health Index for air quality in your area.

Priority fires

N.W.T. – 1 fire (8,656+ ha)

Interagency mobilization

The National Preparedness Level increased to 2 this week. The Yukon is at level 4 and the N.W.T. is at level 3, while all other agencies are at level 1 or 2. Agencies are sharing 11 aircraft and 88 personnel along with a variety of other equipment. Resource mobilization is typical for this time of year. Lightning activity accounted for 67% of this week’s fires. The United States increased to level 3 with large fires burning in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico where community evacuations are ongoing. Alberta has sent resources to Alaska to support suppression efforts.

Weekly Synopsis

There have been 207 new fires this week, burning 503,452 ha. The number of fires this week is below the 10-year average, while the weekly area burned has spiked to more than twice the 10-year average, due to large fires burning in Quebec. The majority of this weeks fires were spread between British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and N.W.T. (16%, 16%, 15% and 16% respectively), while 92% of the area burned was in Quebec. Seasonal fire occurrence is below average, while the area burned to date is now above the 10-year average.

Fire danger shifted to low throughout most of western Canada, while northern regions increased to high to extreme fire danger. Fire danger in British Columbia and the Yukon is low. The Prairies are at low fire danger with high fire danger in northern regions. The N.W.T. is at very high fire danger, with extreme conditions in south-eastern regions stretching into southern Nunavut. Ontario and Quebec are at moderate to high fire danger, with patches of extreme indices in northern regions. Fire danger throughout Atlantic Canada is moderate to low.

In British Columbia, open fires are restricted in the Coastal, Kamloops and Cariboo regions. In Alberta, open fires are banned in the District of Foothill #31. In the Yukon, burning permits are suspended in the districts of Beaver Creek, Carmacks, Dawson, Mayo, Ross River, and Whitehorse. In N.W.T., smoke may be an issue in the Deh Cho region. In Quebec, industrial burning permits have been suspended in the Baie-Comeau region.

Prognosis

A major Pacific storm slowly churns west of Vancouver Island, but is not showing any inclination to move inland. Over the Canada Day weekend, an upper ridge builds northwards from the USA desert states, gradually pinching off the moisture supply to western Canada. As this ridge sharpens after the weekend, hot air surges towards the Arctic Ocean and a strong upper trough forms over the Great Lakes region, providing a stream of showers and thundershowers from southern Ontario through the Maritime Provinces.

Nationally, fire danger is expected to be moderate with higher danger in northern regions over the coming week. Fire danger in British Columbia and the Yukon is expected to remain low. Northern regions of the Prairie Provinces are expected to remain at high fire danger, while southern regions remain low. Central Canada is predicted to remain moderate with higher danger in northern regions. Atlantic Canada is expected to remain at moderate to low fire danger. The area to watch again this week is the border area between Saskatchewan, Manitoba, N.W.T., and Nunavut where the extreme fire danger may persist. With Canada at moderate fire danger, national resources should be sufficient.