Number of wildfires in Canada 2000-2021

There were a total of 6,596 forest fires in Canada in 2021. This was an increase compared to the previous year, when some 4,000 individual wildfires were recorded. However, figures were still below those from 2018 and generally decreased over the period of consideration.

Forest fires in Canada

Forest fires in Canada have burned an average of 2.3 million hectares annually since 2000. Forest fires or wildfires are named so because they occur in areas such as woodlands, grasslands, and scrublands. They are not confined to remote forest areas and can cause extensive property damage and threaten the lives of people who live in transitional areas between regions of human habitation and wilderness. Since 2000, forest fires have caused an estimated 3.76 million Canadian dollars annually. A recent major forest fire which began in Fort McMurray, Alberta is likely to be the most economically damaging disaster in Canada’s history, according to insurers. The fires have also affected Alberta’s oil sands operations which have a significant impact on Canada’s GDP.

What are the causes of forest fires?

The Fort McMurray fire of 2016, like many forest fires, is suspected to have been caused by human activities. Fires started by humans can be intentional, as in the case of arson, or accidental, such as failing to fully extinguish a camp fire or cigarette. The most common natural cause of forest fires is human activity, which accounted for 2,719 fires in 2020.