CLIMATE CRISIS
‘Crazier’ wildfires a growing threat to Canadian communities, experts warn

By Brenna Owen The Canadian Press
Posted May 30, 2023





WATCH: Nova Scotia wildfire: Raging blaze forces 16,000+ Nova Scotians from their homes


The fire department in Slave Lake, Alta., had a long-standing plan for tackling wildfire encroaching on the community, but in May 2011, flames from a nearby forest blew over suppression efforts and destroyed several hundred homes and other buildings.

“I think that was the most shocking time of my entire career and maybe of my life, where you’re so sure that something’s going to work, and then it doesn’t – with crushing consequences,” said Jamie Coutts, the former Slave Lake fire chief.

A firefighter for more than 30 years, Coutts said wildfires have been burning “hotter, faster (and) crazier” over the last decade, and “every single person that lives in the forest is on a collision course with something disastrous happening.”

Research suggests that so-called interface fires, which occur where forests and flames meet human development, are on the rise.

An interface fire crashed into suburban Halifax on Sunday, destroying or damaging dozens of homes in the west of the city.

The Nova Scotia blaze follows early season wildfires that have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate from their homes in Alberta.

Sandy Erni, a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service focusing on fire risk, said interface fires can involve either residential neighbourhoods or industrial infrastructure.

Erni is the co-author of a 2021 study that used greenhouse-gas emissions scenarios established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to model potential increases in wildland-human interface fires by the end of this century.

The study published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research concluded that interface fires are increasing in frequency, particularly in northern and central areas, and the number of people exposed to the blazes is likely to grow considerably.

Fortunately, in Canada, people are mostly escaping wildfires with their lives, said Coutts, although a fast-moving blaze killed two people and destroyed much of the village of Lytton in British Columbia’s southern Interior in late June 2021.

In northern California, 85 people were killed in 2018 when a wildfire turned into an urban inferno that destroyed most of the town of Paradise.

“What would the pushback be from the public in Canada if people started to die, and why do we have to wait for that?” Coutts said in an interview.

“Why can’t we make a change now, before we have those kinds of losses?”

Global News Morning Edmonton: Alberta wildfires trending upwards in past decade
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Coutts wants to see a more widespread adoption of FireSmart guidelines, which aim to reduce wildfire risks to homes, communities and critical infrastructure, as well as changes to national and provincial building codes to address building materials, the space allowed between structures and the proximity of trees.

Some homeowners may choose to reduce the risk of interface fire by removing trees and vegetation, installing sprinklers and choosing less flammable materials for roofing and siding, he said, although not everyone can afford such measures.

Wildfire is unpredictable, especially when wind is a factor, said Coutts, adding he’s seen people’s homes burn after they did “all the right things” to reduce the risk.

Erni said the Canadian government has undertaken a national wildfire risk assessment, with mapping set to be publicly released next year.

Each region and community has its own risk profile depending on factors including the local climate and the types of trees and vegetation in the surrounding forest.

In general, communities within the Boreal zone _ which encompasses 75 per cent of the country’s forests and woodlands _ are at higher risk than others, said Erni, who’s based at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

The rising threat of interface fire is clear, but without regionally specific climate modelling, it’s hard to say exactly how that risk will change over time, she said.

Nova Scotia wildfires are 'out of control' and forcing 16,000 people from their homes

ByMichelle Watson and Zoe Sottile, CNN, CNNWire
Monday, May 29, 2023 




Nova Scotia wildfires raging near Halifax have triggered the evacuation of more than 16,000 Canadians.

Raging wildfires that have burned through thousands of acres have forced more than 16,000 Canadians to evacuate their homes and triggered a burn ban in Nova Scotia, as the region experiences record-breaking heat.

Officials say the fires, which span a total of more than 25,000 acres and have been deemed "out of control" by officials, have destroyed multiple buildings and caused huge plumes of smoke to tower over the region. As of Monday, more than 16,000 people were forced to evacuate the area around Halifax, Nova Scotia's largest city.

The number of people who have been forced from their homes is about 16,429, Erica Fleck, Division Chief of Emergency Management of the Halifax Regional Municipality, said in a news conference Monday.

Authorities also said about 400 people have been evacuated from Shelbourne County in southwest Nova Scotia.

"Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by these fires," Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said. "We know you are experiencing uncertainty and distress. We see that and want to try to ease a small portion of the financial stress."

Every household required to evacuate will receive $500 administered through the Canadian Red Cross, according to a Monday news release. The funds are intended to help with what Houston called "urgent needs such as food and personal care items."

Officials in Nova Scotia also announced a province wide burn ban Monday due to the "seriousness of the current fires."

"The ban will remain in place until June 25 unless the Province determines it can be lifted sooner," officials said in a news release. "Anyone who contravenes the ban can be subject to prosecution under the Forest Act."
Trudeau: 'Wildfire situation in Nova Scotia is incredibly serious'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the wildfires "incredibly serious" in a tweet Monday.

"We stand ready to provide any federal support and assistance needed," Trudeau said. "We're keeping everyone affected in our thoughts, and we're thanking those who are working hard to keep people safe."

A wildfire burning in Nova Scotia's Westwood Hills and Tantallon areas is "out of control," a Monday news release said. The blaze currently spans about 1,947 acres.

More than 200 crews from agencies across the province have been sent to help battle the blaze. Officials say there are 35 fire trucks, two helicopters and a water bomber being used as officials cautioned wind gusts of up to 40 mph could cause the fire to spread.

Another fire, which is burning in the Barrington Lake and Shelburne County areas in southwest Nova Scotia, continued to rapidly grow Monday. The blaze, which is officials say is also "out of control," scorched nearly 24,000 acres as of Monday evening, a news release said. Officials in the release noted "some structures have been destroyed and others are threatened, but there are no firm details on the numbers yet from the area."

As Nova Scotia deals with the fires, the western province of Alberta has been battling wildfires for weeks, CNN previously reported. A Sunday release from its emergency management arm said about 3,501 people remain evacuated and "more than 2,700 personnel" continue to fight the blaze.

Fire danger in Alberta is still "very high or extreme in the northern regions of the province, moderate to very high in the central and southern regions, and moderate to very high from the central region to the northern slopes of the Rocky Mountains," the Sunday release said.


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