Wildfires

Wildfires - Canada

Wildfires are taking off in Canada as the country goes through one of its hottest and driest summers in decades.

Wildfire activity in the Northwest Territories is more than six times higher than its 25-year average, and as of last Tuesday a total of 162 wildfires were burning in British Columbia. The latter province has seen 1269 wildfires so far this year, along with 314,895ha of land burned – almost equivalent to 2010, when the province lost 337,149ha to various blazes.

The fires have cut through the boreal forests that lie just outside the Arctic Circle throughout Canada, aided by the hottest and driest summer the Northwest Territories have seen in 50 years.

The fires can kick smoke up to 10km or even 15km into the atmosphere, leaving massive plumes that can be spotted by satellite and seen as far away as Portugal.