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Wildfires are nothing new. They’ve been part of Earth’s natural cycle long before humans ever showed up with their trail running vests or their new high-pivot mountain bikes.

But things have changed. A lot.

In 2023, Canada experienced its most destructive wildfire season on record, with 16.5 million hectares burned—more than double the previous record, and nearly seven times the historical average (Natural Resources Canada, 2024).

Then came 2024. It wasn’t quite as catastrophic, but still ranked as the sixth-most destructive wildfire season ever. Over 5.3 million hectares burned. In Alberta, the Jasper wildfire destroyed one-third of the town’s structures and became one of the most expensive natural disasters in Canadian history, with $1.23 billion in insured damages (Insurance Bureau of Canada, 2025). (More on the insurance side later…)

And now, we’re in uncharted territory. By June 2025, over 3 million hectares had already burned across Canada - the 10-year average for wildfire seasons by mid June is about 800,000 hectares (CBC, 2025):

“This is the first time I’ve seen fires in Canada survive two winters and I’ve been watching fires closely since the 1970s,” says Flannigan. “A number of these fires started in 2023, burned through the winter… continued to grow in 2024 and then survived this winter.”

Dr. Mike Flannigan. Wildfire Expert

That’s why we’re launching Trailblazed, a campaign built for outdoor people who want to understand what’s really going on with wildfires in Canada.

We’ve pulled together the essentials to help you stay safe, cut through the noise, and take action. Whether you're planning a hike, preparing your home for fire season, or figuring out how to talk to your neighbour who thinks space lasers are the main cause, this is your wildfire HQ.

If you stumbled upon this page and are not a POW Canada member, sign up here and help us reach 50,000 members! Because with 50k, we can influence policy-makers and drive real change for the outdoor places we love. It takes 20 seconds, no cost, just your email.

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