Archived reports
| Uncontrolled | Being Held | Controlled | Modified Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 186 | 63 | 107 | 34 |
| 2023 (to date) |
10-yr avg (to date) |
% normal | Prescribed | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 2,306 | 1,722 | 134 | 8 | 19,191 |
| Area (ha) |
3,701,470 | 272,903 | 1,356 | 419 | 234,752 |
- Data courtesy of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC).
- Check the Air Quality Health Index for air quality in your area.
Priority fires
Nova Scotia:
03-010-2023 Shellburne County is currently listed as out of control.
Quebec: Numerous forest fires are forcing thousands of evacuations in several regions of Québec and are threatening essential infrastructure. The resulting smoke is also compromising the health of individuals, especially at-risk populations. SOPFEU is fighting a high number of fires, especially in the following regions: Abitibi-Témiscamingue, North Shore, Mauricie, Northern Quebec, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Alberta:
Saddle Hills County (GWF-035/038), Rocky River Fire (MWF025), Cecil Fire (GWF018), Saulteaux Complex (SWF085/086/087), Carrot Lake (SWF081), Paskwa Fire (HWF030), Sturgeon Lake Complex (GWF017/023), Deep Creek Complex (WCU001/002, EWF035), Grizzley Complex (SWF057/063/064), Kimiwan Complex (PWF038, SWF068), Eagle Complex (WWF023, GWF027), Pembina Complex (EWF031/039, RWF034/040), and Long Lake Fire (HWF036).
British Columbia: G70645 – W Kiskatinaw River Fire estimated 3,796 ha in size and currently listed as out of control. G70644 – Peavine Creek Fire estimated 200 ha in size and currently listed as out of control. G80280 – Donnie Creek Fire estimated 265,650 ha in size and currently listed as out of control.
V70600 – Cameron Bluffs Fire estimated 80 ha in size and currently listed as out of control.
Northwest Territories:
FS001-23 south of Sambaa K’e estimated 249,077 ha in size total within Northwest Territories borders, currently listed as out of control.
Interagency mobilization
Canada is at national preparedness level 5, indicating full commitment of national resources is ongoing, demand for resources is extreme, and international resources are being mobilized. Quebec and Alberta are at Preparedness Level 5, Ontario is at Preparedness Level 4, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories and Parks Canada are at Preparedness Level 3, and all other agencies are at Preparedness Level 1 or 2.
The number of fires is well above average for this time of year, and well above the average for area burned for this time of year The ten-year average of cumulative area burned is 272,903 hectares for this day. There was 480 net new fire starts, with 260 of those attributed to lightning reported over the last week.
At the time of this report, aircraft, personnel, and equipment have been mobilized to Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Northwest Territories from across Canada. There are American, Australian, and New Zealand, and South African personnel, crews active in Canada, with additional personnel from France, Australia, and New Zealand, and South Africa anticipated. The United States is at preparedness level 2.
Weekly Synopsis
Nova Scotia - A province-wide ban on open fires is in effect because of dry conditions. Open fires are not permitted anywhere in the province. The ban applies to fires in provincial parks and private campgrounds. It also applies to backyard campfires, brush burning and fireworks.
Prince Edward Island Fire Closure Order has been revoked. Normal operations will resume with regards to burning restrictions. For Category 1 fires, you must check the Burn Restrictions, for Category 2, 3, or 4 fires, you must hold a valid burn permit and you must check that the Fire Weather Index (FWI) is either low or moderate and wind speeds are less than 20 km/hr before you may burn.
Quebec has a province wide ban on open fires, and has restricted access to areas due to wildfire.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has declared a Restricted Fire Zone in the northwest regions for of Hearst/Cochrane/Kapuskasing, Chapleau/Wawa, Timmins/Kirkland Lake, Sault Ste Marie/Blind River, Sudbury, North Bay, Minden/Parry Sound/Bracebridge, Pembroke, a northern portion of the Peterborough/Bancroft District, and the southeastern portion of the Far North District. In the northeast region restrictions are in effect for d the districts of Kenora, Red Lake/Sioux Lookout, Dryden/Fort Frances/Atikokan, Thunder Bay/Ignace, the northwest portion of the Far North, and portions of Nipigon/Geraldton District.
No open air burning, including campfires, is permitted within the boundaries of a Restricted Fire Zone. Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with extreme caution. All burning permits are suspended. The Restricted Fire Zone is in place until further notice.
Saskatchewan has fire bans in the Rural Municipalities of Loon Lake, Turtle River, Grandview, Hearts Hill, and Antelope Park in the northwest of the province.
The Province of Alberta has rescinded its State of Emergency in response to the spring wildfires. Currently in Alberta, there fire bans, restrictions or advisories across the entire province. Multiple evacuation orders due to proximity and smoke in the norther regions of the province are still in effect.
Northwest Territories has high to extreme fire danger in the following regions: South Slave, and Dehcho. Camp fires are not recommended unless it is necessary for food or warmth. The Town of Fort Smith has a fire ban on open air fires, Camp stoves, enclosed BBQs and propane-fueled cooking and heating devices are permitted.
British Columbia has category 2 and three bans across the province, however campfires are allowed in all but the Prince George Fire Region.
Yukon, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador have no provincial/territorial fire restrictions in place.
A stubborn high pressure area that wandered east and west across Canada now stretches between British Columbia and western Ontario but with a weak spot over the central Prairies. This is maintaining generally warm and dry conditions across most of western and central Canada. Some moisture continues to be dragged northward from the western USA into the weak middle of this high, generating thundershowers along the Manitoba/Ontario border. A large low pressure system has stalled between the New England states and Newfoundland and is rotating showers across the Atlantic Provinces and southern Quebec along the St Lawrence valley. This rain will likely not affect the large cluster of fires in western Quebec.
Prognosis
The high pressure area over central and western Canada is squeezed into a single lobe over British Columbia and Alberta by Friday, June 9 as a low pressure system from Nunavut sinks southeast over Hudson Bay. Warm, dry air will be pushed through western Canada into the Territories although some showers or thundershowers will occur in southern British Columbia and Alberta. On the eastern side of this ridge, dry air from Nunavut sinks into central Canada and as this air mass slides further southeast, warm and windy conditions develop between eastern Alberta and Ontario between Saturday, June 10 and Monday, June 12. The showery weather is gradually chased out of the Atlantic Provinces, with dry conditions following between Sunday and Tuesday (June 11-13). The low pressure system from Nunavut slows and strengthens over the Great Lakes, and appears likely to deliver some rain into western Quebec by the middle of the week of June 11. Meanwhile, a flow of Pacific air finally flattens the high pressure ridge that has been over Canada for weeks, delivering bands of showers or thundershowers, but not a good chance of sustained rainfall. Erratic weather conditions associated with this flow may provide rain on some fires but also shifting wind speeds and directions, with lightning possibly igniting new blazes in dry areas.