Forest fires in Canada have never been quite so destructive. In 2023, some 15 million hectares – the equivalent of more than a quarter of mainland France – went up in flames. Canada is warming faster than the world as a whole and 2023, the world's hottest year on record, was inevitably challenging. Firefighters, rescue workers and residents of at-risk localities are learning to live with the ever-increasing risk of devastating fires. Our correspondents François Rihouay and Joanne Profeta report.
More than 8,000 fires break out Canada every year, according to the ministry of natural resources. The country, which is 20 times the size of France, is home to 347 million hectares of forest, or almost nine percent of the world's total. Canadian forests are made up mainly of conifers – such as pine, fir and spruce – and a variety of deciduous trees. These highly flammable surfaces during drought season, coupled with accelerating global warming, make for an explosive combination.
