Why so many forest fires? ‘A bunch of different forces multiplying together’

There are plenty of reasons why this is the worst wildfire season in decades; ‘Anyone who tells you it’s one single story is selling something,’ says emergency management expert Village Media Jun 19, 2023 2:00 AM

As of this morning, there are at least 422 active wildfires burning across the country, including 51 in Ontario. All told, more than 5.8-million hectares of land in Canada — the approximate size of Nova Scotia — has already caught fire in 2023.

“This year is very much a year of big fires, and that is reflected in our total area burned as well as the smoke events that we’ve been seeing across the country and drifting into the U.S.,” said Eric Kennedy, a professor of disaster and emergency management at York University.

Why has this particular wildfire season been so destructive?

“This is a bunch of different forces multiplying together,” Kennedy said, during a recent appearance on Village Media’s Inside the Village podcast. “Anyone who tells you it’s one single story is selling something. It’s a bunch of factors that are all combining and are greater than the sum of their parts when they multiply.”

You can watch Kennedy’s full interview HERE.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.