Yi Zhi (Harry) Zhang, Boston College
Introduction
Over the last few months, Canada’s historic wildfire season has captured the world’s attention. Hundreds of fires are burning throughout the country, reaching every province except for Prince Edward Island and Nunavut. As of early June, the fires had consumed over 4.4 million hectares of land. The Canadian government has called this wildfire season the country’s “most severe on record” and has warned that higher-than-normal fire activity could persist for the remainder of 2023. What has caused these fires? What industries do they affect? And what do they tell us about our planet’s future?
Causes and Catalysts
Climate change has played an important role in fanning the flames by creating high-pressure zones characterized by long periods of hot weather and drought. The provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Alberta all experienced record heat levels, with the average temperature in certain areas of Alberta standing 12 degrees above the norm. Droughts have also swept through the country since February, creating the “driest April” ever for regions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island.
A large number of fires in the Boreal forest of northern Canada are started by lightning. According to environmental policy expert Edward Struzik, a one degree Celsius increase in temperatures corresponds to roughly 12% more lightning. As such, the higher temperatures associated with climate change may lead to a greater number of lightning strikes, setting the stage for more forest fires. It is also important to note that elsewhere around the country, human causes such as sparks from a passing train or burning cigarette butts also contribute to the wildfires.
Industries That Were Impacted
One of the largest industries directly affected by the active fires is the lumber sector. John Duncanson, an executive vice president at Corton Capital, mentioned in an interview with the Financial Post that a large number of saw and paper mills are operated by the local population of small towns. As fires have forced entire towns to evacuate, these mills have ceased production. Large demanders of Canadian lumber, such as home centers and US importers, have noticed that the quantity of lumber in the market has decreased, driving lumber prices up more than 10% in June. In the past few years, the lumber market in Western Canada was forced to downsize due to a shrinking lumber base, mainly caused by natural disasters. The intense forest fires in 2017 and 2018, as well as mountain pine beetle infestations, have devastated Canada’s lumber base even further. If this trend continues, Duncanson expects to see at least 4 or 5 large sawmills in British Columbia close in the near future.
The oil and gas industry also took a hit. With fires approaching important wells and pipelines, drilling companies collectively decreased production by more than 240,000 barrels of oil per day. Production stoppages due to wildfire hazards temporarily reduced the supply of oil, driving prices up. The week of May 17th saw Canadian heavy crude prices soar to “multi-month highs over concerns about the blazes.” Fortunately, the state-run Trans Mountain pipeline, the only link connecting Canadian crude oil to the Pacific coast, has remained operational.
With wildfires leading to widespread trip cancellations, the tourism industry has suffered as well. The sector had just begun to rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but severe smoke has forced outfitters and businesses offering outdoor tours to cease their operations. In Quebec’s forests, 350 outfitters had closed their doors by early June.
Impact on Other Countries
Smoke from Canadian fires drifted southward, placing 128 million people across the US under air quality alerts in early June. New York City, which neighbors several burning Canadian regions, was hit especially hard. Orange haze from the wildfires blanketed the city skyline, alarming civilians and public health officials alike. While an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 150 or above is usually enough to raise concerns, Brooklyn’s AQI reached an unfathomable 413, with Queens following close behind at 407. By July, smoke and haze had descended upon a number of Midwestern and western states as well.
US air travel was also disrupted by wildfire smoke. Roughly 600 flights across the US were cancelled by early June due to reduced visibility.
Some smoke made it all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. By the end of June, a great band of smoke had approached the Azores islands and arrived in western Europe. However, in contrast to the low-hovering smoke that led to horrendous air quality across the US, the smoke that reached Europe hung higher in the sky at 1,100 meters and above, presenting less serious health risks.
Conclusion
Many view Canada’s current fire season as “a harbinger of our climate future.” By early June, the amount of land that was burned had already reached 1,400% of the normal amount at that time of year. However, the worst may be yet to come. A 2022 United Nations report warned that global wildfires are expected to increase in intensity by as much as 57% by 2090 due to climate change. The urgency and magnitude of the Canadian wildfires should serve as a poignant call to action, uniting individuals and communities in a shared resolve to preserve our planet and combat climate change.