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Fire Rescue Canada 2025

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National Fires and Area Burned in 2025

*as of September 16, 2025

5,347

Fires

8,779,431

Hectares Burned

10-year average: 5,290 fires

10-year average: 4,052,913 hectares

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Fires and Area Burned (by Agency) - Trends

*as of September 16, 2025

Agency

Fires

Area Burned (ha.)

BC

1,269

878,727

YT

155

169,138

AB

1,123

674,366

NT

196

1,336,286

SK

474

2,896,213

MB

429

2,150,865

ON

549

597,512

QC

336

6,424

NL

228

18,442

NB

356

2,506

NS

147

8,564

PE

0

0

PC

85

40,388

Total

5,347

8,779,431

~2.5x the 10-year average

~2x the 10-year average

4.5x the 10-year average

8.6x the 10-year average

~3x the 10-year average

Only ~1% of the 10-year average

~8.8x the 10-year average

~2.7x the 10-year average

~23% of the 10-year average

~2x the 10-year average

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Area Burned by Canada by Year estimated from satellite hotspots

*as of September 18, 2025

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Up to 90% of homes destroyed by wildland fires are ignited by embers.*

* Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety USA, 2019

If Homes Don’t Ignite, Homes Don’t Burn.

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The Economic Case for Proactive Fire Mitigation�

Date​

Location​

Loss​

Jul. 2024​

Jasper, AB​

$900 M​

Aug. 2023​

Bush Creek East, BC​

$212 M​

Aug. 2023​

Yellowknife, NWT​

$23 M​

Aug. 2023​

McDougal Cr. (West Kelowna)​

$471 M​

Aug. 2023​

Hay River, NWT​

$32 M​

May-Jun. 2023​

Tantallon, NS​

$251 M​

Aug. 2021​

White Rock Lake, BC​

$97 M​

Jun.-Sept. 2021​

Lytton Creek WF, BC​

$102 M​

Jul. 2017​

Williams Lake WFs, BC​

$89 M​

Jul. 2017​

Elephant Hill WF, BC​

$45 M​

May 2016​

Fort MacMurray, AB​

$3,641 M​

May 2011​

Slave Lake, AB​

$515 M​

Aug. 2003​

Kelowna, BC​

$200 M​

 

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$1 invested in wildfire mitigation saves $3 in firefighting costs.

Every $1 invested in fuel reduction treatments can save up to $14 in avoided wildfire damage and suppression costs.

$1 invested in community-wide wildfire mitigation efforts can save up to $4 in avoided losses.

Homes with fire-resistant roofs and well-maintained defensible spaces are up to 85% less likely to be destroyed in a wildfire compared to homes without these features.

Homes with properly maintained defensible spaces are up to 20 times more likely to survive a wildfire compared to homes without defensible spaces.

72% of all Canadians surveyed reported no familiarity with FireSmart™ Canada.

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Getting Started

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  • How can residents and communities get started?
  • FireSmart 101 & Level 1 Ambassador Training
  • FireSmart Begins at Home app
  • Advanced Home Assessment Program
  • Wildfire Mitigation Program (BC)
  • Wildfire Community Preparedness Day
  • Neighbourhood Recognition Program
  • Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP)

How can local governments and agencies get started?

  • FireSmart Level 2/3 NRP Specialist & HIZ Specialist Training

​

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The FireSmart Journey

Neighbourhood

Recognition Program

Ongoing

Implementation

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

Home

Assessments

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This research was led by an Impact Canada Behavioural Science Fellow placed in NRCan’s

Canadian Forest Service (CFS) and developed with input from an advisory committee including representatives from several CFS teams as well as Public Safety Canada, FireSmart™ Canada, and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs.

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The time to prepare is now.

People living in the WUI must maintain resilient neighbourhoods to ensure their safety.

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