By Canadian Press

Canada should be on ‘high alert’ for 2024 after record wildfire season: scientist

Jan 12, 2024 | 12:01 PM

A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service says Canada should be on “high alert” for the 2024 wildfire season. 

Research scientist Piyush Jain stopped short of offering a prediction for the upcoming season during a briefing about last year’s record-shattering wildfires. 

But he presented a number of charts showing certain indicators, such as drought conditions and soil moisture, look similar to around this time last year. 

Friday’s briefing offered a sweeping view of the impacts and drivers of the 2023 wildfire season that burned through more forest and displaced more people than any other on record. 

Jain says more than 15 million hectares were burned and around 240,000 people were evacuated. 

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He presented research showing climate change is fuelling wildfires, while pointing out how last year snow melted earlier, and drought conditions intensified across the country. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press