2 Million Acres of Land Destroyed as Wildfires Rage on in Canada

Millions of acres of land in Canada have been destroyed in the face of one of the worst wildfire seasons ever. 

Even with rainy conditions, the Canadian province of Alberta is battling dozens of wildfires that have decimated more than two million acres of land. 

More than 24,000 people across western Canada were evacuated from their homes earlier this month, in response to the initial outbreak of fires. Increased rainfall this week meant that evacuation orders were lifted on more than 400 properties, but officials still urged caution.

“We’re hoping the weather continues to assist in the fight against these wildfires,” Alberta Wildfire official Christie Tucker told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday. “Alberta continues to be under a provincial state of emergency.”

According to Tucker, this is the second worst wildfire season on record. This year was only surpassed by 1981 when more than three million acres burned. 

This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers increasing wildfires to be an indication of climate change. In the United States, the damage caused by wildfires has increased dramatically since the 1980s. According to scientists, 2020 was the worst year for wildfires in the Rocky Mountains since the Middle Ages.

A 2022 United Nations report, meanwhile, predicted that global wildfires would increase by 50% by the year 2100.

Thousands of firefighters from the United States and Canada are working to combat the blazes and more are expected to join from New Zealand and Australia. 

“We're working closely with the municipal fire departments who are also protecting their own communities,” said Tucker.

“Even though we have made headway on many wildfires on the landscape, we know that the season is far from over. We need to be prepared.”