

How wildfires are changing the way we think of summer
Jun 19, 2025
Temur Durrani, a Winnipeg-based reporter for The Globe and Mail, dives into the troubling reality of Canada's escalating wildfire crisis. He highlights how this summer, over 40,000 people have evacuated due to raging fires, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan in states of emergency. Durrani discusses the pervasive health risks of wildfire smoke affecting areas as far away as Europe and critiques Canada's lack of a cohesive wildfire response strategy. He emphasizes the urgent need for a national approach to better manage these devastating events as they increasingly shape our summers.
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Canada's Severe Wildfire Season
- Canada faces one of its worst wildfire seasons, triple the 10-year average by May.
- Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared province-wide states of emergency due to numerous large fires.
Climate Change Worsens Wildfires
- Climate change causes longer, earlier wildfire seasons with more heat and dryness.
- These factors intensify wildfires threatening communities and forcing evacuations.
Evacuees Feel Like In A Movie
- Evacuees often describe fleeing wildfires as living in a movie or an apocalyptic film.
- This metaphor reflects their loss of control and the surreal nature of sudden evacuation orders.