Climate Change: The Unseen Driver Behind Canada's 2023 Wildfires

In 2023, Canada faced its most devastating wildfire season ever, with over 15 million hectares burned. This was more than double any previous record. The fires led to massive evacuations and terrible air quality all the way to the northeastern United States. Using climate models, scientists found that human-caused climate change made these huge fires much more likely. In places like eastern and southwestern Canada, the chances of such extensive fires increased by over twofold. Additionally, the long fire season and the widespread extreme fire weather were also more likely because of human influence on the climate.The emissions from these wildfires in 2023 were alarmingly high, about eight times the average from 1985-2022. As temperatures continue to rise, the chances of extreme fire seasons will increase, making things worse for people's health, societies, and ecosystems.