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Drivers and Impacts of the Record-Breaking 2023 Wildfire Season in Canada
Data and Resources
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Creator | Nature Communications |
| Summary | The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was unprecedented in its scale and intensity, spanning from mid-April to late October and across much of the forested regions of Canada. Here, we summarize the main causes and impacts of this exceptional season. The record-breaking total area burned (~15 Mha) can be attributed to several environmental factors that converged early in the season: early snowmelt, multiannual drought conditions in western Canada, and the rapid transition to drought in eastern Canada. Anthropogenic climate change enabled sustained extreme fire weather conditions, as the mean May–October temperature over Canada in 2023 was 2.2 °C warmer than the 1991–2020 average. The impacts were profound with more than 200 communities evacuated, millions exposed to hazardous air quality from smoke, and unmatched demands on fire-fighting resources. The 2023 wildfire season in Canada not only set new records, but highlights the increasing challenges posed by wildfires in Canada. |
| Local Relevance | This article identifies the drivers and impacts of the 2023 wildfires in Canada. The 2023 wildfire season in the Northwest Territories is a showcase of the impact of global warming on the subarctic region, where prolonged high atmospheric temperatures and drought conditions fueled persistent extreme fire weather |
| Notes | |
| Tags | Wildfire,2023 fire,Norman Wells |
| Geographic Region | NWT |
| Release Date | 2024-08-24 |
| Last Modified Date | 2024-08-20 |
| Funding Program |