Prime Minister Mark Carney said on July 18 Canada is facing one of its most severe wildfire seasons amid extreme heat and record drought and the government has launched an all‑hands mobilization. More than 5,300 firefighters and nearly 300 aircraft have been deployed; the interdepartmental wildland fire centre reported 3,815 fires YTD and over 2.9 mln ha burned. Rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves linked to global climate change have heightened fire risk, and wildfire smoke has degra

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on July 18 Canada is facing one of its most severe wildfire seasons amid extreme heat and record drought and the government has launched an all‑hands mobilization. More than 5,300 firefighters and nearly 300 aircraft have been deployed; the interdepartmental wildland fire centre reported 3,815 fires YTD and over 2.9 mln ha burned. Rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves linked to global climate change have heightened fire risk, and wildfire smoke has degraded air quality across Canada and parts of the US Northeast.