National Wildland Fire Situation Report

National Wildland Fire Situation Report

Archived reports

Current as of: June 18, 2025

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

Priority fires

Sherridon Fire, Manitoba WE017 (WE024) This wildfire is located near Sherridon and the city of Flin Flon. It is approximately 370,781 hectares and remains not-under-control. As of June 17, thunderstorms passed through the area increasing the likelihood of lightning-caused fires.

The Red Earth East Complex, Alberta SCX0001 This fire consists of about ten separate wildland fires and is approximately 329,530 hectares in size. It is out-of-control and has resulted in the evacuation of the communities of Chipewyan Lake, Red Earth Creek, Loon River, Peerless and Trout Lake.

Interagency mobilization

Canada is at National Preparedness Level 5, indicating that there is full commitment of national resources and demand for interagency resources through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC) is extreme. Since national availability of resources is limited, international resources are being mobilized.

Manitoba is at Agency Preparedness Level (APL) 5, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Alberta are at level 4, British Columbia and Yukon are at level 3, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Parks are at level 2, and Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are at level 1. At APL 5, agencies have extreme Fire Danger, anticipate extreme fire Load in the next week, and do not have adequate resources to manage fires. At the time of this report, there are domestic and international personnel, aircraft, and fire fighting equipment being mobilized through CIFFC. Personnel and aircraft are also being mobilized through compact agreements.

The United States is at preparedness level 2, indicating that wildland fire activity is increasing in a few geographic areas, but resources within most geographic areas are adequate, and there is little to moderate mobilization of resources occurring through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NIFC).

The number of fires is average for this time of year, but the area burned to date is significantly more than the 10-year average.

Weekly Synopsis

In British Columbia, there are Open Fire restrictions in Cariboo, Coastal, Kamloops, Southeast, Prince George and parts of Northwest.

In Alberta, there are fire bans and restrictions across the province, but they are concentrated in the east-central to southern regions.

On May 29, Saskatchewan declared a Provincial State of Emergency. On June 16, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency rescinded the provincial fire ban on all Crown lands, provincial parks, and provincial recreation sites located north of the provincial forest boundary. There are still bans and restrictions south of the provincial forest boundary.

Manitoba continues under a Provincial State of Emergency until June 26. The province also maintains a full fire ban at all provincial parks and burn permit areas.

There are currently no Restricted Fire Zones (RFZ) in Ontario. The RFZ previously in place for the Northwest Region was revoked effective June 13.

In the Northwest Territories campfires are not permitted at the Hay River Territorial Park.

Nova Scotia permits burning between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in all counties.

New Brunswick allows burning in Carleton, York, Sunbury, Queens, Charlotte, Saint John, Kings, Albert, Kent, Northumberland, and Madawaska. Burning is permitted between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in Gloucester, Restigouche, Victoria, and Westmorland.

In Prince Edward Island, no burning is permitted in any of three counties.

Park Canada has fire bans in effect in Prince Albert, Grasslands National Park, and Wood Buffalo National Parks.

There are no provincial fire bans in Newfoundland and Labrador. The province requires burning permits, but will suspend permits when fire hazard is high, very high or extreme for a region.

Yukon requires burning permits from April 1 to September 30, and institutes fire restrictions based on current fire danger ratings in different regions.

There are no burning restrictions in Québec.

Prognosis

A low-pressure system sits off the Gulf of Alaska and will cause precipitation in British Columbia throughout the week. Generally unstable conditions will generate thunderstorms over higher terrains almost every afternoon for the next few days.

Significant thunderstorm activity is expected over southern Alberta late June 18. The strongest activity will likely be concentrated in the croplands. Widespread but weaker thunderstorms will occur over much of British Columbia, northern Alberta, and southern Yukon.

Broad troughing will generate rain in eastern Canada during the week of June 16. Approximately 12mm of rain will fall over most areas, with bands of 30-50mm expected in central Ontario and northern Quebec by the end of the week. Northern Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland will remain dry for the first half of the week and will have elevated Fire Weather Indices until precipitation moves in on June 19. High winds (> 25km/h) are also expected in Newfoundland and labrador on June 18.

On June 21, a low-pressure center tracking through the northern United States will bring significant precipitation to southern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. About 20mm of rain is expected in southern British Columbia, as much as 80mm in the Alberta Rockies, 30- 50mm in southern Alberta, and 20mm in Saskatchewan. Given the cool temperatures, precipitation will fall as snow over higher elevations. This will likely ease drought conditions in the eastern slopes.

Yukon will receive some of the British Columbia precipitation though amounts decrease further north. The Northwest Territories will remain dry through June 23 with low relative humidity. There will also be slightly below seasonal temperatures.

Weekly graphs (current as of: June 18, 2025)