Wildfires in Northern Ontario
Explore the impacts of changing wildfires and possible ways to adapt.
Wildfires (fires that burn in forests or grasslands) are common and natural in Northern Ontario (North of Parry Sound) and the animals and plants here are well adapted to regular burn cycles.
With climate change, wildfires are starting earlier in the year and more are being caused by lightning, putting land and people at risk.
Why are Wildfires important?
Wildfires are natural and important to help renew the forest and provide habitat.
Blueberries growing after a wildfire near Fort Hope
Renewing the forest
Wildfire plays an important role in many of Earth’s ecosystems. In wildfire-adapted environments like the Boreal forest, natural wildfires happen regularly and help renew the forest by clearing away dead branches and leaves that have collected over time. The ash that is left behind, as well as the increase in sunlight from the loss of older trees, kick starts the growth of new trees and plants.
Leafy trees like maple, poplar, and birch grow from their roots, protected underground.
Maple regrowth 2 years after a fire north of River Valley.
The resin that holds the cone scales of Jack Pine and Spruce closed is melted by the intense heat of wildfires and the seeds are released. These seeds fall onto the now clear, sunny forest floor to germinate and grow the next generation of trees.
Open Jack Pine cones after a wildfire near Aroland First Nation
Patchwork of habitat types
Wildfire creates a pattern of forest of various ages, providing habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
Moose like to eat new growth, like young poplar twigs.
Moose browsing on willows in Yellowstone National Park
Bears and other animals thrive on the explosion of berries after a wildfire. People also enjoy the increase in berry availability.
Black Bear eating berries
Wildfires that are not close to a community are often left to burn themselves out because of the many benefits to the land.
Northern Voices - wildfire on the land
Renewal of the forest has been observed near First Nation communities.
Corny Nate of Eabametoong First Nation spoke of the forest and wildfire near Fort Hope.
"Even the green Jack Pine, they were so old but they’re dry. He (the forester) says “if there’s a forest fire it’s gonna clean it right off”. That’s exactly what happened just a few years after he told us that. So, we got a big burnt area there now, we got a nice big patch there, young Jack Pine there, but they won’t be ready for harvest for, or even for firewood the next 50 years or so....It must be after 1976 because I was already working at the airport for MTO, and when they evacuate people, they leave the core people to look after, like say me and one guy at the airport we stayed back and we were gonna be the last ones. And the Hudson’s Bay store was still here at that time, and so somebody was left there. Somebody else was left to look after the community, but women, just about everybody, anybody, and kids, elderly people, sick people, they all evacuated to Geraldton."
Area burned by wildfires near Fort Hope; the large wildfire that Corny speaks about in the late 1970s early 1980s is coloured in red-brown. Click on the map to get more information about a wildfire.
Eating blueberries in a regrowth after the wildfire near Tidy Lake, Fort Hope in the 2000s, shown in red-brown on the map above.
Wildfires in Northern Ontario
Wildfires are common in Northern Ontario, especially in the Boreal forest.
Smoke from a wildfire near the Attawapiskat River
Over 200 fires start every year in Northern Ontario, most in the Boreal forest where trees are adapted to wildfire. The map below shows the outline of the area burned by wildfire since 1960.
Click on the images on the right to start the Map Tour. If you would like your photo to be featured, submit it on the Contribute page.
Changing wildfires
Wildfires are starting earlier in the season, and are more likely to start due to lightning, because of the effects of climate change.
A glowing sky in Pikangikum from nearby wildfires, 2021
Over 86,000 fires have started since 1960 in Ontario, mostly in the Boreal Shield. Over the years, the number of wildfires has been going down. Explore Ontario's past wildfires by decade with this dashboard ("How to" use the dashboard is beneath the map).
ArcGIS Dashboards
Wildfire by cause
Although the number of wildfires has decreased overall, more wildfires have started by lightning and fewer by people in recent years mainly because of fire safety education. Explore the causes of past wildfires in Ontario with this dashboard ("How to" use the dashboard is beneath the map).
ArcGIS Dashboards
Wildfire Start Date
Wildfires are now starting earlier in the Spring. In the 1960s, the average date for the first wildfire of the year was March 18th (day 77 of the year). In the 2000s, the average date for the first wildfire was March 1st (day 60 of the year) with the first wildfire happening as early as January (day 2 of the year) in some years. Explore past wildfire start dates with this dashboard ("How to" use the dashboard is beneath the map).
ArcGIS Dashboards
The data for these dashboards is courtesy of Rob Luik, Applications Database Officer, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Similar publicly available datasets can be found on the Ontario GeoHub:
Fire Disturbance Points: Represents the estimated starting point of a forest fire for which the perimeter was not mapped and are less than 40 hectares in size.
Fire Disturbance Area: Represents the area burned by large forest fires in Ontario.
Why the changes
Climate change is bringing warmer temperatures, drier land, more severe weather, more lightning, and the potential for more insect damage, all of which can increase the risk and intensity of wildfire in the North.
Downed trees near Osnaburg House, Ontario, 2017
Warmer temperatures
Average Summer temperatures in many places in Ontario have increased by 1°C since the 1950s and are predicted to increase by as much as 3°C to 5°C by 2100 with continued emission (RCP8.5).
Go to Climate Atlas to see changes in temperature in your community.
Longer wildfire season
Temperature determines the wildfire season, the time of the year when wildfires are more likely to start and spread. In Ontario, wildfire season generally starts in April and ends in September.
Since the 1960s, the wildfire season has increased by about 10 days, from 178 days in the 1960s to 188 days in the 2010s. The longest seasons on record have been in 2010 (222 days) and 2013 (217 days). With so many more days when wildfires can start and spread, wildfire risk has increased.
Explore past wildfire season length with this dashboard ("How to" use the dashboard is beneath the map).
Drier land
Hotter temperatures draw more moisture out of plants and soils (an effect called evapotranspiration), and these drier conditions increase wildfire risk.
Changes in other seasons, like warmer, less snowy Winter, warmer Spring with fast melt, and warmer Fall can also influence how dry the land is.
Days of high, very high, and extreme drought have increased by 9 days per year since the 1990s. Drought and dry weather can make wildfires more likely to start and spread.
Explore drought code in Ontario with this dashboard ("How to" use the dashboard is beneath the map).
Severe weather
Climate change could bring more severe storms and storms that happen more often. Many First Nation community members across the North have noticed more and stronger windstorms than in the past and are hearing of tornados in their area for the first time in their lives.
Microbursts and tornadoes
Microbursts (strong downdrafts of wind that happen during thunderstorms) and tornadoes can blow down trees and lead to dead wood that becomes fuel for wildfires. As these events become more common, the amount of wildfire fuel across the landscape can increase.
Downed trees near Osnaburg House 2017
More lightning
More storms bring the possibility of more lightning, a trend some say they are already seeing. Lightning is how most natural wildfires start. Drier conditions on the land also mean that lightning strikes are more likely to ignite wildfires, making the impact of increased lightning strikes even more significant.
Insect damage
Trees that are severely damaged or die in insect outbreaks can increase wildfire risk by becoming potential wildfire fuel. Climate change is predicted to make some forest insect outbreaks, like eastern spruce budworm, more severe.
Eastern Spruce Budworm larva.
The information in this section, "Why the change", is included in the "Wildfire and Climate Change" 2-page InfoSheet.
What the future holds
The current trends of warming temperatures, increasing drought, more storms, and more severe insect outbreaks are expected to continue. Computer modelling of future climate and wildfire predicts a longer wildfire season and more large wildfires.
Forest regeneration following a wildfire in the 1990s near Wunnumin.
Longer wildfire seasons now and into the future
Wildfire season is the time of year when wildfires are likely to start and spread. With continued emissions (RCP8.5), wildfire season is predicted to increase by about 85 days in Ontario by the year 2100. That's over 2 months of increased wildfire risk compared to the past. Explore the maps below to see how wildfire season is predicted to change.
1981-2010 Wildfire Season
In the past, wildfire season was an average of 153 days near Fort Severn in the North and 189 days near Missanabie to the South.
Wildfire season is defined by temperature: it starts after 3 days in a row with noon temperatures of at least 12°C and ends after 7 days in a row with noon temperatures below or equal to 5°C. In the past, that was from April to September.
Click on the map or zoom in to see how long the wildfire season typically was before 2010 at a particular location.
Lighter colours represent shorter wildfire seasons, darker colours represent longer wildifre season. Click on the list icon on bottom left of the map to see what the colours mean.
2011-2040 Wildfire Season
This map lets you look at how wildfire season is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2011-2040 (right panel). Use the bar in the middle to switch between the timeframes.
Between 2011-2040, the wildfire season is predicted to increase about 2 days in the North (eg. 155 days near Fort Severn) and 16 days in the South (eg. 205 days near Missanabie).
These predictions come from computer models that use what is known about climate to project into the future.
2041-2070
This map lets you compare how wildfire season is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2041-2070 (right panel).
By 2041-2070, wildfire season is predicted to increase by about 31 days in the North (e.g. 184 days near Fort Severn) and 39 days to the South (e.g. 228 days near Missanabie).
2071-2100
This map lets you compare how wildfire season is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2071-2100 (right panel).
By 2071-2100, the wildfire season is predicted to increase by about 84 days in the North (e.g. 237 days near Fort Severn) and 86 days in the South (eg. 275 days near Missanabie).
Large wildfires now and into the future
By the year 2100, Ontario is predicted to have up to 6 times more large wildfires per year than it has now. In the Northwest, before 2010, about 11 large wildfires burned per year in a 100,000 km 2 area . By 2100, 70 large wildfires are predicted to burn per year.
Explore the maps below to see how the number of large wildfires is predicted to change.
Large Wildfires 1981-2010
In the past, the Northeast temperate fire zone had on average 1 large wildfire per 100,000 km 2 per year. The Western James Bay zone had about 4 large wildfires and the Northwest had 11 large wildfires.
Large wildfires burn an area bigger than 2 square kilometers (km 2 ), the size of the Thunder Bay airport and runway. A 100,000 square kilometers (km 2 ) area is the size of Lake Superior and Lake Ontario combined.
Click on the map to see how many large wildfires there typically were before 2010 in a particular zone. Lighter colours represent fewer wildfires, and darker colours represent more wildfires. Click on the list icon on bottom left of the map to see what the colours mean.
Projected 2011-2040 Large Wildfires
These maps let you look at how the number of large wildfires is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2011-2040 (right panel). Use the bar in the middle to switch between the timeframes.
By 2011-2040, the number of large fires is predicted to double in Ontario. That means 2 large wildfires per 100,000 km 2 per year in the Northeast, 7 in Western James Bay, and 22 in the Northwest.
These predictions come from computer models that use what is known about climate to project into the future.
Projected 2041-2070 Large Wildfires
This map lets you compare how the number of large wildfires is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2041-2070 (right panel).
By 2041-2070, projections show that the number of large wildfires continues to increase, with 3 large wildfires per 100,000 km 2 per year in the Northeast, 10 in Western James Bay and 40 in the Northwest.
Projected 2071-2100 Large Wildfires
This map lets you compare how the number of large wildfires is predicted to change between 1981-2010 (left panel) and 2071-2100 (right panel).
By 2071-2100, projections show that the number of large wildfires continues to increase, especially in the Northwest, with 4 large fires per 100,000 km 2 per year in the Northeast, 15 in Western James Bay and 71 in the Northwest.
Impacts and adaptations
Climate change is predicted to increase wildfire risk to people and communities. It's important to prepare.
Removal of dead standing Balsam Fir to reduce fire risk to nearby home.
Understanding the impacts of climate change and preparing for the future can help lessen the effect on people and infrastructure.
The interactive Wildfire Quick Guide below lists some of the impacts that Northern First Nations have observed in the top banner. The people in the community have some ideas about adaptation. Click on them to start thinking about actions you and your community can take to protect people and infrastructure from wildfire and smoke. The Quick Guide is a summary of impacts and adaptations; to get more details, scroll down.
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Protecting people
How are people affected by wildfire?
Wildfires affect people directly by threatening their homes and communities, but also less directly through the impacts of smoke. People may also experience worry or fear about having to leave their community or the possibility of losing their homes.
Wildfire smoke can lower air quality and cause breathing problems in vulnerable people, like Elders, children, and those with asthma. Sometimes people need to stay indoors which can lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety. If the air quality becomes severe, evacuation may be needed.
Evacuations due to wildfire and smoke happen often in remote Northern Ontario.
6 communities were evacuated in 2021: Deer Lake, Pikangikum, Poplar Hill, Cat Lake, North Spirit Lake, and Wabaseemoong First Nations.
Explore the map to see which Ontario communities have been evacuated in the past.
Northern Voices - Community members in Northern Ontario have documented the impacts of wildfires and how they are adapting.
Click on the location pins to view wildfire stories and photos. If you would like your story to be featured, submit it on the Contribute page.
How can people prepare?
People can prepare by:
- creating an emergency plan
- preventing human-caused wildfires
- monitoring wildfires and smoke
- supporting each other through difficult times
Prepare an emergency plan
For communities:
A community emergency plan could include:
- evacuation routes
- emergency meeting place(s)
- community contacts
- people (and back-ups) responsible for tasks
- fire equipment and inspection log (e.g. sprinklers, power pumps, hose lines, fire alarms, and 2-way valves locations)
- method of sharing the plan with community members
For community members:
Being prepared can help evacuations run smoothly. Community members and households can get prepared by:
- Becoming familiar with the community emergency plan
- Knowing how to prepare your home before you leave.
- Preparing a “ Grab & Go Bag ” with important items that you can quickly take with you in case of evacuation
Prevent human-caused fires
Fire safety is always important, but as the land gets drier and wildfire risk increases, preventing human-caused wildfires becomes even more critical.
- Promote safe fire practices in your community (campfire safety, guidelines for burning etc.).
- Promote safe fire practices when on the land by reminding people of actions that can cause accidental fires (unattended campfires, sparks, cigarettes, etc.).
- Monitor the fire hazard risk in your area.
Monitor wildfire risk
Communities can monitor the fire hazard risk and current wildfires for their area with Ontario’s Forest Fire Info Map .
When wildfire risk is high, communities may want to restrict outdoor burning and encourage actions to prevent accidental fires, like butting out cigarettes before throwing them away.
Monitor air quality
Smoke from wildfires can travel great distances. Monitoring air quality is important to protect community members.
Communities can:
- install an air monitoring station
- use online tools like FireSmoke Canada for current and predicted smoke from wildfire
- issue community alerts when air quality is poor so people can take precautions
Take care of mental health
The stress of evacuations, the feeling of displacement, and the worry about losing your home can take a toll on mental health.
When smoke advisories keep people inside their homes, feelings of isolation can build. Check in on family and neighbours and continue to push for mental health services.
When evacuated to another community, consider organizing cultural activities like traditional food gathering, ceremonies and other teachings, especially for youth.
The information in this section, "Impacts and adaptations - Protecting People", is included in the "Wildfire impacts on People" 2-page InfoSheet.
Protecting Infrastructure
How is infrastructure affected?
Wildfire risk is increasing because of climate change, and infrastructure is at risk of burning. This can include homes, but also water treatment plants, electricity, road access, and communication.
How can infrastructure be protected?
Communities can prepare by having an emergency plan, monitoring wildfire risk (both described in protecting people), changing building materials, and managing the land.
Change building materials
Using different materials for homes and buildings can make them more resistant to damage from wildfires. For example, metal and slate for roofing, and stucco, metal siding, brick, and concrete for building exteriors.
Manage vegetation
Managing the trees and plants near a community and around your home can help reduce risk.
"Wabaseemoong was a community that traditionally had 15 to 20 fires every year, it was in the dry grass period, lots of them were just carelessly started by whatever happens out there. It catches into the grass on a windy day, and then it’ll burn a house down. ... So, by hiring a few people, going around with brush saws and cleaning out around the houses by moving any flammable debris away from the house, that makes that house more fire-resistant, more fire-proof, and it also makes it more defensible in the fact that if it did get a fire approaching the structure, it would be much easier to put that fire out because the fuel has been removed. Also, as part of this program here, and the other programs, when we cut out any larger pieces of wood, we took all that wood and we cut it up into firewood and brought that to the Elders of the community."
Buffer zones and fireguards
Fireguards act as barriers to wildfires and reduce the transfer of wildfire from embers. They can be made by digging a trench down to the mineral soil and clearing fuel sources, like needle trees, on either side. Encouraging less flammable leafy trees like birch, poplar, or maples can also reduce the risk of wildfire spreading toward the community.
Fight fire with fire - controlled burns
The Boreal forest is naturally shaped by wildfire. Lightning starts small regular fires that clear away dead material, reducing available fuel and lowering the risk of large damaging wildfires.
First Nation communities across Ontario have used traditional burning practices that mimic natural wildfires to help reduce wildfire risk to their community.
In some regions, controlled burns are also used by government agencies.
Controlled burns require training and experience to ensure that it doesn't become a wildfire.
Become a FireSmart community
Consider becoming a FireSmart community and using FireSmart techniques to help reduce impacts to your home. FireSmart Canada has many helpful resources and programs to reduce wildfire risk for communities and households.
The information in this section, "Impacts and adaptations - Protecting Infrastructure", is included in the "Protecting Infrastructure from Wildfire" 2-page InfoSheet.
Key messages
Wildfires are a natural and important part of the Northern Ontario landscape, but human-caused climate change will continue to increase wildfire risk as the land gets drier, wildfire season gets longer, and large wildfires happen more often.
Preparing for the future is key. Monitoring smoke and wildfire risk, having an emergency plan, managing plants and trees on the landscape, and preventing human-caused wildfires are some of the actions people and communities can take to adapt to changing wildfires.
Credits
Forest landscape near Wunnumin
Financial support by Natural Resources Canada's Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise (BRACE) Program
Thanks to the Education and Research Group at Esri Canada for collaboration and facilitating software access.
Maps and data:
The information on this hub includes data from the open data websites listed below. Please refer to their open data licensing for more information. Please note that trends over time may be affected by recent improvements in data collection and recording methods.
First Nations Locations Aboriginal Lands of Canada Legislative Boundaries National Ecological Framework for Canada Changing Wildfire Dashboards Data from Rob Luik, Applications Database Officer, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Similar publicly available data can be found on the Ontario GeoHub: Disturbance Area & Fire Disturbance Points Wildfire Season Length Dashboard Drought: A Wildfire Risk Dashboard Data from Rob Luik, Applications Database Officer, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Wildfire season length projections Reference Period (1981-2010) Difference in wildfire season length - Short-term (2011-2040) under RCP 8.5 Difference in wildfire season length - Medium-term (2041-2070) under RCP 8.5 Difference in wildfire season length - Long-term (2071-2100) under RCP 8.5 Number of large fires projections (>200 hectares) - Reference Period (1981-2010) Number of large fires (>200 hectares) - Short-term (2011-2040) under RCP 8.5 Number of large fires (>200 hectares) - Medium-term (2041-2070) under RCP 8.5 Number of large fires (>200 hectares) - Long-term (2071-2100) under RCP 8.5 Emergency Management Historical Events
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- -Ecology North. Accessed May 2022. Summer of Smoke. https://ecologynorth.ca/project/summer-of-smoke/
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- Partners in Protection. 2003. FireSmart: Protecting your community from wildfire. Second Edition. Edmonton, Alberta. 165 p. https://firesmartcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FireSmart-Protecting-Your-Community.pdf
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