Earth from Orbit: Wildfires Rage in Western Canada | NOAA/NASA

Earth from Orbit: Wildfires Rage in Western Canada | NOAA/NASA

Although wildfire season in Canada usually begins in early May, when the snow begins to melt and uncover dead vegetation that can become fuel for fires, more than 100 wildland fires have already begun raging across western Canada this month. Roughly a million acres have burned, and more than 29,000 people in Alberta and British Columbia were forced to evacuate their homes. 

According to local experts, this type of “ferocious” wildfire activity is not typical this early in the year, and firefighters do not normally see such a large area burned at once. Additionally, a news release issued by the government of Alberta stated the region is experiencing unusually hot, dry conditions this spring, which makes it an ideal environment for fires to spread. A provincial state of emergency in Alberta was declared on May 6, 2023.   

Credits: NOAA/NASA/Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

Additional imagery courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: May 11, 2023

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