Forest fires in Canada this year are on track to break records. Many provinces, from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, are experiencing an abnormal increase in the number of wildfires. According to fire officials, over 3.3 million hectares of forest have already burned in 2023, surpassing the 10-year average by more than ten times. Evacuations have occurred in nine provinces and territories with around 100,000 people impacted in total. Despite several foreign firefighters aiding the situation, a high fire risk persists for the next few months. At a media briefing on June 5, Michael Norton, the director general of the Northern Forestry Centre of Natural Resources Canada, described the situation as unprecedented. Natural Resources Canada experts explain that what is making this year especially bad is a fading La Niña weather pattern, characterised by cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean, and an incoming El Niño. Although the picture varies from province to province, all of Canada is facing a substantial fire threat. The public is urged to be aware of fire risks and to take extreme care when in forested areas. Half of all forest fires are ignited by lightning, but the other half are caused by human accidents. People living in remote or rural areas are also reminded to safeguard their property by removing potentially flammable vegetation from around buildings.