The wave of wildfires continues to wreak havoc in Canada. Drought, high temperatures and strong winds fuel the path of the flames. Quebec has joined the list of affected provinces in recent days. At a press conference on Monday in Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called this wave “unprecedented” for these months of the year. So far in 2024, more than 3.3 million hectares have burned in the country. Trudeau also pointed out that according to projections, the scenario could worsen “throughout the summer”, which is why his government is preparing various contingency plans.

The province of Quebec currently has 154 active fires. We are already adding 420 in 2024, while the average for the last 10 years at the same period was 199. The flames spread mainly in the regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Saguenay- Lac-Saint-Jean and northern Quebec. . More than 11,000 people were evacuated, mostly residents of indigenous communities and small towns.

Forest Fire Protection Society aircraft and personnel battle the flames. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces support a variety of tasks, just as they have in Alberta and Nova Scotia. François Legault, Premier of Quebec, has asked people to stay away from wooded areas and not to light open fires. He also warned of the effects caused by the smoke, as it has traveled hundreds of miles from the fires. “We have air quality issues even in Montreal,” he said. The smoke has already crossed the Canadian border, impacting cities in the northern United States and darkening New York skies on Tuesday.

The Alberta government announced on Saturday the end of the state of emergency declared on May 6. However, this province still has 60 active fires; British Columbia is facing 80 and Saskatchewan is facing 23. Although rains in the past few days have improved the situation in Nova Scotia, firefighters are unable to contain the Shelburne County fire, the largest ever registered in this Atlantic province.

Prime Minister Trudeau said, “We will get through this together and our government will continue to be there with whatever it takes to keep people safe and provide support. More than 3,000 Canadian firefighters are participating in the effort. Some 900 people from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and France have arrived to provide further assistance. Nearly 120,000 people were evacuated in the provinces affected throughout these first months of 2023 by the flames and smoke.

Experts from the Canadian Ministry of the Environment point out that climate change has contributed to the increase in the frequency and intensity of forest fires. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, underlined during the meeting between Trudeau and several members of his government with journalists this Monday in Ottawa: “We live in a new reality. A reality in which we must listen carefully to what science is telling us”.

Follow all the international news on Facebook And Twitteror in our weekly newsletter.