Canada should be on ‘high alert’ for 2024 after record wildfire season: scientist

A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service says Canada should be on “high alert” for the 2024 wildfire season. 

Research scientist Piyush Jain stopped short of offering a prediction for the upcoming season during a briefing about last year’s record-shattering wildfires. 

But he presented a number of charts showing certain indicators, such as drought conditions and soil moisture, look similar to around this time last year. 

Friday’s briefing offered a sweeping view of the impacts and drivers of the 2023 wildfire season that burned through more forest and displaced more people than any other on record.