A few weeks ago, the Canadian province of Manitoba declared a state of emergency as a result of wildfires, with Manitoba Premier noting “this is the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most peoples’ living memory”. This marked an ominous start to the country’s wildfire season, with about 225 wildfires burning, half of them out of control, by mid-June and some already turning deadly. Canada is not alone in facing a crisis. Wildfires are intensifying in fire-prone areas, and emerging in regions that have never previously grappled with high fire risk. In January, outside the typical fire season, Los Angeles was on fire for weeks. In 2024 alone, countries including Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, the Republic of Congo, Greece, Portugal and Canada battled devastating blazes.
