– As Canada endures another devastating wildfire season, updated satellite and government mapping reveals that hundreds of active blazes continue to rage across the country—with intense pockets of fire activity persisting in Quebec, Ontario, and parts of the western provinces.
— The World News
The most concentrated wildfire activity continues to burn in central and northern Quebec, where massive complexes of fires—some burning since early June—remain out of control. Maps from the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) indicate that dozens of active fires are generating heavy smoke plumes drifting southward toward major population centers, including Montreal and Quebec City. – As Canada endures another devastating wildfire season,
“These are deep-burning organic soils in many areas. Rain slows them down, but it doesn’t put them out,” explained fire behavior analyst Marc Tremblay. “What we’re seeing on the maps—those clusters of red dots—represent fires that can smolder underground for weeks and then reignite with wind.” “These are deep-burning organic soils in many areas
One of the most striking features of the current maps is not just where fires are burning, but where the smoke is going. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued smoke forecasts showing plumes from Quebec and Ontario drifting across the Great Lakes and into the American Midwest and Northeast. but it doesn’t put them out
As of this writing, over 400 active wildfires are burning across Canada, more than half of them out of control. With more than 7 million hectares already scorched—well above the ten-year average—officials warn that the fire season is far from over.