The forest fire season is expected to be early in Canada and certain indicators suggest the worst for the coming months.
The 2023 season ravaged more forests and displaced more people than any other season on record in the country and according to federal estimates, “we are at risk of another catastrophic season” when it comes to wildfires. .
“There are several worrying trends. We expect above-average temperatures across the country,” Federal Minister of Civil Protection Harjit Sajjan said at a press conference on Wednesday attended by three other federal ministers.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, added that the government is “preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.”
Temperatures above seasonal norms which continue to be observed throughout the country, low snow cover and dry soils are among the indicators that put the authorities in a state of high alert.
“El Niño and climate change will have an impact on the spring and summer of 2024,” we can read in a document prepared by Public Safety Canada and sent to the media on Wednesday.
Currently, 70 forest fires are recorded in the country, mainly in the West.
Short-term forecasts
At a technical briefing Wednesday morning, federal government officials said “an early and above-normal fire risk is possible in western Canada, eastern Ontario and southern Quebec” in April.
For the month of May, “a higher than normal fire risk is possible in the Prairies, eastern and southern British Columbia, northern Ontario and western Quebec” .
However, in the long term, it is more difficult to assess risks due to the “high uncertainty in precipitation forecasts.”
“We could have another record fire season this year,” said one of the government officials.
Preparation
Ottawa announced Wednesday that the federal tax credit for volunteer firefighters or search and rescue volunteers will increase from $3,000 to $6,000.
Minister Sajjan said the government had “learned lessons from last year” and was “doing some things differently this year”.
The federal government says it has improved preparedness for this fire season by, for example, helping fire departments across the country “obtain specialized firefighting equipment” through a fund with $256 million from Natural Resources Canada and by training 630 firefighters and 125 fire guards.
“We must increasingly become aware of the scientific reality of climate change and invest in measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change. That’s why the federal government is working hard to train more firefighters, provide more rescue equipment and build partnerships with the provinces and territories,” said Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.
“We must accelerate our collective efforts to put an end to carbon pollution, which is making this global crisis worse,” said Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Attacks against Pierre Poilievre
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who opposes carbon pricing, was the target of several attacks from ministers present at this press conference.
“It is deeply disappointing that conservative leaders deny climate change,” said Minister Sajjan.
“It is very unfortunate that Mr. Poilievre’s plan seems to be to simply let the planet burn,” suggested Minister Wilkinson, noting that the Conservative leader is opposed to several measures to combat climate change such as the cap on climate change. greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry, the plan to plant two billion trees by 2030 and even carbon pricing.