Forest fires are a major concern from both a human and ecological perspective given the large and costly damage they can do. Additionally, forest fires can cause significant pollution and negatively impact wildlife.
While forest fires occur for both natural and human reasons, you might be surprised to learn about the major reasons they start as well as contributing factors that accelerate them and increase the damage done.
6 Major Reasons For Forest Fires In Canada
The main reasons for forest fires in Canada are a combination of natural and human causes:
- Lightning
- Human activities
- Campfires
- Dry weather
- Windy weather
- Forest management practices
Let’s take a closer look at each one, how prevalent they are relative to one another, and what can be done to decrease their occurrence if possible.
Lightning
Lightning is the single greatest cause of forest fires in Canada responsible for around 45% of all fires in the country and 81% of the area burned as a result.
One of the major problems with lightning of course is that it can’t be prevented. Another problem is when a lightning strike occurs in a remote, isolated area of a forest where no humans are around to notice. A fire may start and quickly grow to a large degree before it has been noticed and by that time, it is out of control.
Experts believe that due to global warming which we’ll discuss below, lightning strikes may increase
by up to 44% in the future due to changing weather patterns, a prediction that could drastically increase the number of forest fires and damage caused in Canadian forests.
Human activities
The main human cause of forest fires involves the accidental setting of a fire through carelessness including discarding a lit cigarette on the ground that is enough to spark a fire.
Given how easy it is for a person to simply discard a lit cigarette without thinking and walking away, it remains a constant source of forest fires.
Having said that, cigarette-fueled fires often occur near residential areas where they have a greater chance of being quickly noticed, reported and put out than a lightning strike on a remote part of a forest.
Other human-created causes involve fireworks and other burning debris are major causes. Accidental ignitions from machinery, power lines, and industrial activities can also lead to forest fires also fall under a similar category.
Campfires
Campfires that are improperly extinguished or are otherwise allowed to burn uncontrolled are a second human-caused reason for forest fires. Campfires may smolder even after being extinguished and if the area around the fire is dry and receives a spark, a fire can easily start.
Although not a campfire per se, deliberate acts like arson or improperly burning garbage or other materials in a campfire are additional reasons for human-set fires leading to forest fires.
Dry weather
You may hear the expression fire weather which refers to dry and windy conditions that helps fires spread more rapidly. The dryer the wood, the more easily it can catch fire and thus spread quicker than if the wood and general conditions were damp.
Global warming has increased the chance of unusually – by historical standards – dry weather which increases the chance of a fire breaking out. Climate change is predicted by many experts to increase the number of very hot days in the near future leading to a potentially greater number of forest fires. As hot weather dries out vegetation, it becomes more flammable and more likely to spark up due to a human or natural occurrence.
In British Columbia on the west coast of Canada, hot and dry summer weather often contributes to an increase in forest fires as heat waves hit already dry vegetation and create ideal conditions for burning.
Windy weather
While wind won’t start a forest fire, it can make the fire much worse by helping it quickly spread.
Not only does a strong wind provide oxygen which is critical to a fire’s survival, a heavy wind can also spread the fire to nearby vegetation and also carry hot embers in the air for up to several miles, creating new fires in locations far from the original location.
A strong wind can also carry the fire into the tops of trees and if the wind changes direction, move the fire in a new direction unexpectedly which can cause danger for people in the area including firefighters.
Forest management practices
Forest management practices, such as controlled burn or prescribed burning, can sometimes result in unintentional wildfires if not executed carefully. While these practices are intended to reduce fuel loads and maintain forest health, they can occasionally escape control and become uncontrolled wildfires.
This topic is worth spending a bit more time on due to how it’s utilized, which we’ll do below.
Why Controlled Burns Are Used To Manage Fires
A controlled burn, also known as a prescribed burn or planned fire, is a deliberate and carefully managed fire set under controlled conditions in a designated area. It is conducted by trained professionals, such as forest managers, landowners, or fire service personnel, to achieve specific objectives for ecosystem management and fire hazard reduction.
The main purposes of a controlled burn are:
- Fuel Reduction: Controlled burns are used to reduce accumulated fuels, such as dead vegetation and debris, in an area. By burning off these fuels in a controlled manner, the risk of larger, uncontrolled wildfires can be reduced.
- Ecosystem Management: Fire is a natural and essential part of many ecosystems. Some plant species, for example, have adapted to fire and require periodic burning for their regeneration and growth. Controlled burns can mimic the natural fire regimes and help maintain healthy ecosystems by promoting biodiversity and creating suitable habitat conditions for certain plants and animals.
- Vegetation Management: Controlled burns can be used to manage vegetation and control the encroachment of undesirable plant species. By selectively burning certain areas, land managers can promote the growth of desired vegetation and suppress invasive plants.
- Disease and Pest Control: Controlled burns can help control the spread of certain diseases and pests that may affect forests or agricultural lands. The heat generated by the fire can eliminate or reduce the populations of certain insects, pathogens, and invasive species.
It’s important to note that controlled burns are carefully planned and executed with consideration for weather conditions, safety measures, and environmental impacts. They are conducted under specific permits and regulations, and trained personnel closely monitor and manage the fire to ensure it stays within the desired boundaries and achieves the intended objectives.
How Prevalent Are Forest Fires In North America?
At any given time, there may be hundreds of active forest fires throughout Canada and the United States alone particularly during hot, dry summer months. An average year sees around 7,000 forest fires in Canada and around 70,000 in the United States.
During the hot dry season, the likelihood for human-made forest fires also increases due to camping and other activities that may involve campfires for cooking as well as the careless disposal of lit cigarettes or other burning objects.
Needless to say, most forest fires in North America occur in the most heavily forested provinces and states. In Canada, most forest fires tend to occur in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia whereas in the United States, they occur mostly in California, Texas, Arizona and Montana.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to note that the specific reasons for forest fires can vary from region to region within Canada, as different areas may have unique environmental and human factors that influence fire occurrence.
Forest fire prevention and management strategies, including fire detection systems, fire suppression efforts, public awareness campaigns, and prescribed burning practices, are implemented to mitigate the impact of wildfires in Canada.