The Government of Canada provides update on the 2026 wildfire season preparedness and forecast

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON, May 28, 2026

OTTAWA, ON, May 28, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, joined by the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, the Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services, and Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, delivered an update on Canada's wildfire preparedness and the forecast for the 2026 wildfire season.

Minister Olszewski reported that, as of today, there are 65 active wildfires in Canada with six wildfires currently out of control. The total area burned so far this year is over 18,935 hectares.

Long-standing precipitation deficits persist in Western Canada. Looking ahead, forecasts indicate above-normal temperatures for nearly all Canadian regions for June, July and August. Several regions of Canada have received significant amounts of precipitation over the past six months, which could delay potential wildfire conditions.

Modelling of wildfire risk by Natural Resources Canada shows fire danger building across Canada through July, with British Columbia facing the highest and most sustained fire risk. Over the same period, elevated fire danger could also emerge quickly in parts of northern, central and eastern Canada. Canadians are encouraged to stay informed about the risk in their region through the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.

First Nations communities continue to be disproportionately affected by emergency events, including wildfires, underscoring the need to provide them with the tools to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. For example, in 2025 alone, 44,920 people from 61 on-reserve First Nations were displaced from their homes due to wildfire.

The federal government will continue to work closely with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities and partners to support prevention, preparedness and response efforts. Canadians are encouraged to be prepared and https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/homecan learn how to protect themselves by visiting Get Prepared.

Quotes

"Wildfire seasons are becoming longer and more complex, requiring governments and communities to adapt. Canada's new government is taking action to strengthen our ability to respond by moving from a culture of recovery to one of resilience: strengthening preparedness, improving coordination before emergencies occur, and supporting provinces and territories when wildfires exceed local capacity. Our focus is on ensuring Canadians have the information, resources, tools and support they need to stay safe."

- The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada

"Wildfires pose a threat to the safety, health, and economic well-being of communities across Canada, and unfortunately this season is no exception. Our government is working with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and others to strengthen Canada's wildfire preparedness and response. By acting now, we are helping protect lives, homes, and communities."

- The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada

"Nationwide, Canadians are experiencing the growing impacts of wildfires. From poor air quality to evacuations, their effect on our summers is now undeniable. Climate change is resulting in longer and drier summers, which contributes to increased wildfire risk. The Government of Canada is ready to respond, providing communities with timely, reliable information so that they can act quickly when fires threaten public safety."

- The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature

"We are already seeing the impacts of another challenging emergency season, with several First Nations across Canada responding to flooding and preparing for heightened wildfire risks. Chiefs, community leaders, and local responders continue to lead efforts to protect their communities, drawing on deep knowledge of their lands and peoples. Indigenous Services Canada stands ready to support First Nations communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from flooding, wildfires, and other natural hazards."

- The Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services

"Many Canadians are currently on the front lines protecting their communities and neighbours from wildfires. Our government is supporting these efforts by making sure they have with the information they need to assess risks and where to deploy crews and resources to protect lives and communities. As always, our first priority is protecting Canadian communities, lives and livelihoods."

- Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Quick Facts

Emergency management in Canada is led by local communities and provinces and territories. Provinces and territories can request federal support through a request for federal assistance when incidents exceed their capacity.
Since last year, Public Safety has reinforced its wildfire preparedness and has invested heavily to protect Canadians and communities. These investments include:
- 316.7 million over five years to CIFFC to establish a new national aerial firefighting surge capacity through the leasing of 10 aerial wildfire firefighting aircraft starting in the 2026 wildfire season;
- $108 million over three years to renew the Humanitarian Workforce Program to support non–governmental organizations in maintaining a highly trained, scalable civilian emergency response workforce;
- $55.4 million over four years, and $13.4 million ongoing, for the renewal of the National Public Alerting System (NPAS);
- Opening of a new state-of-the-art facility to house the Government Operations Centre (GOC). This new facility provides a robust and secure site for the coordination of federal emergency response given the increasing pace and severity of natural disasters and other emergencies.
Through its Emergency Management Assistance Program, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) will reimburse 100 percent of eligible response and recovery costs for First Nations who have been affected by wildfires. Further, ISC will continue to support the restoration of communities and assets in a manner that reduces future vulnerability and strengthens resilience.
Parks Canada manages and responds to wildfires across 350,000 km² of federal lands and supports response efforts across Canada through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Canadians can access up-to-date weather alerts and forecasts through the WeatherCAN app and learn how to prepare for emergencies at Get Prepared.

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