Largest Fires in Canada’s History Reach My Hometown

Those of you who have been following the news will know that Canada has had record-breaking first this summer (writing in 2023).

From coast to coast, ash has covered thousands of communities. More than 130,000 square km have been on fire since 2023 thus far — and it’s mid-August (as of writing). Some of these fires will still grow.

As CTW News reports, currently, there are 1,148 active fires in Canada, with 13.3 million hectares — or 133,000 square kilometers — burned.

The worst fires recorded have even reached Kelowna, BC, my hometown. Around 5,000 properties are evacuated in West Kelowna, just across the lake from my house. Many of my friends are now on evacuation alert.

So, what has Canada been doing? Are we to blame?

“Canada is the fourth largest producer and exporter of oil in the world, with oil sands constituting 64% of oil produced in 2017.” — Natural Resources Canada

Photo by fabian jones on Unsplash

Man-made climate change has been one of my chief concerns for some time, so much so that I devoted two chapters to it in my first book, Up in the Air.

Let’s not be under any illusion; these fires are the result of climate change.