The Environment in Canada Podcast Wildfires: Climate Denial Kills, Mutual Aid, & a Sierra Youth Rewind
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Aug 19, 2025 Janelle Lapointe, an Afro-Indigenous climate justice activist, and Michaela Yanni, host of the Sierra Youth podcast, dive into the urgent issues of climate denial and its deadly impact on wildfires. They discuss a mutual aid network in Newfoundland aimed at helping wildfire victims and the role of youth activism in this crisis. Personal stories highlight the deep connection between Indigenous rights and environmental justice, while they also call for effective communication and community action to combat misinformation and promote resilience.
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Misinformation Makes Wildfires More Dangerous
- Climate misinformation worsens immediate wildfire safety and hampers relief efforts by undermining trust and precautions.
- Oil and gas industry communications seeded much of this misinformation and continue to fuel harmful denial.
Heat Creates Fire-Friendly Conditions
- Climate-driven heat dries landscapes, creating hotter, windier conditions that make fires start more easily and spread faster.
- These conditions also make wildfires harder to extinguish, increasing severity and frequency over time.
Corporate Emissions Are Directly Linked To Fires
- A small group of major corporate polluters is linked to a disproportionate share of wildfires and forest loss across North America.
- Holding oil and gas CEOs and companies accountable is central to reducing future climate-driven fires.
