Canada: Wildfire threat is present for most of the country through September

Wildfires could cause sporadic, localized disruptions to transport and business operations across most of Canada through at least September. Wildfires are typical from April to September, particularly after long dry spells or during extremely high temperatures. More wildfires tend to occur in British Columbia Province and the Boreal forest areas of the Canadian Prairies Region, Ontario and Quebec provinces, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory.

Wildfires can lead to evacuations, road closures, and ground transport diversions. Disruptions to arterial roads are possible. The scarcity of alternative routes in some areas means that significant transport disruptions are sometimes possible. While authorities have experience minimizing the potential impact, roads in remote regions are likely to be disrupted for extended periods due to their relative inaccessibility. Authorities could close routes in the wildfire complex and evacuate communities due to fire activity and response operations. Traffic flows could also be disrupted during re-entry periods after authorities lift evacuation orders.

If wildfires occur near airports, low visibility from smoke and possible ashfall could contribute to traffic delays and congestion and prompt short-notice flight disruptions.

Railways can also experience occasional service cancellations and long delays. Power outages are possible due to damaged infrastructure. Intentional power cuts may occur to prevent infrastructure damage or help prevent the spread of fires.

Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees, plants, and possibly building materials. Such smoke can hurt the eyes, irritate the respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Smoke may also worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions - such as respiratory allergies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).