Keyword Forestry

Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent and intense in Canadian summers.[1] In 2018, British Columbia saw its worst fire season in history, burning 1.3 million hectares of land.[2] This was just two years after record-breaking fires devastated the city of Fort McMurray in Alberta, costing $9 billion in losses.[3] With this increase in wildfires caused by climate change[4], we’re seeing more and more health impacts to Canadians.

Working in a sea of trees within a tidal wave of energy -- known as a wildfire -- wildland firefighters have one of the most dangerous and important jobs on the planet. Protecting both the land and people’s property comes naturally to Métis wildland firefighters, connecting them deeply with the land and ecosystems, across the Canadian Prairies. Métis cultural knowledge amongst these wildland firefighters -- rooted in values of respect, stewardship, and equity -- helps us all understand how climate change is impacting forests, fire, and Indigenous identity and communities. Reflecting on traditional Indigenous practices of fire management, these Métis knowledge holders, “seeing from both worlds,” provide a path forward to conserve ecosystems and adapt to wildfires in an era of climate change.

One of the best ways to understand long-term climate change is to look at historical changes in the environment. According to Dr. Colin Laroque, trees are storytellers, the “Elders of the forest,” and if we listen carefully to them, we can hear their teachings about what they have seen and experienced. Taking us on this journey, back in time, using the science of “dendroclimatology” -- or tree ring analysis -- Laroque shares his unique perspective as a Métis scholar, and shares his knowledge of climate change through his ongoing research and conversations with trees.

When wildfires are at your community’s door, there’s only one thing to do: evacuate. As communities are uprooted and fires are being fought, people are put under extreme stress that leads to both short- and long-term mental health impacts.

In August 2018, British Columbia declared a provincial state of emergency due to forest fires. At its peak, there were over 560 wildfires burning in the province. The smoke from the fires travelled thousands of kilometres, causing air quality warnings to be issued across BC, Alberta, and as far away as southern Manitoba.[1]

The Climate Atlas allows you to explore how climate change is likely to impact Canada’s vast and diverse forest ecosystems. Much hotter summers, milder winters, and changes in precipitation will likely lead to more frequent and intense forests fires, new invasive species, and an increase in pest outbreaks. Climate change may also make it possible for trees to thrive in previously inhospitable areas, like north of the current treeline or near the tops of mountains. Understanding the magnitude of these various changes and risks allows forest managers, emergency response coordinators, citizens, politicians, and planners to take meaningful action to mitigate and adapt.

Canada’s forests are some of the largest in the world. They have enormous economic, cultural, environmental, and recreational value for Canadians of all walks of life. [1]

Terry Teegee is Regional Chief of the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations, Tribal Chief of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, and the former forestry coordinator for Takla Lake First Nation. He's seen first hand how unsustainable forestry practices and disregard for traditional indigenous knowledge about forest ecosystems have worsened the impact of climate change. "We’ve lost that real connection with the land, and I think we’re seeing the result of that," he says. “That's why we’re seeing here, not only in British Columbia but around the world, climate change."

Dr. Toddi Steelman researches connections between environmental science, public policy, and decision-making. She examines the devastating 2016 fire in Fort MacMurray to learn how we can better protect ourselves from fire seasons that are becoming longer and more dangerous because of climate change. “We’re at some kind of a tipping point in terms of how humans are interacting with their environment,” says Steelman. “What we need to do to learn to coexist better with fire.”

Many of Canada’s most notorious forest pests and diseases have become household names in recent years: