Wildfire information and seasonal preparedness tips for Canadians

The Government of Canada’s Wildfires 2026 web page includes vital information about programs, policies and initiatives to keep Canadians informed about the ongoing wildfire situation across the country.

The Government of Canada's Wildfires 2026 web page includes vital information about programs, policies and initiatives to keep Canadians informed about the ongoing wildfire situation across the country.

About wildfires

Wildfires are any natural or planned ignition, that burns in wildland areas and consumes natural fuels (trees, brush, grass, etc.). Forest fires, grassland fires, cultural fires and prescribed fires are all considered wildfires.

Fire is a vital natural ecological process that support forest health and diversity. Wildfires can also have significant public safety consequences, threaten human health and negatively impact cultural and economic resources.

Many factors contribute to wildfires in Canada including landscape, wind, weather, soil moisture and snowpack from the winter months. While human-caused fires account for a significant number of wildfires, lightning-caused fires account for roughly half of fire ignitions, and a larger share of area burned because they often occur in remote areas where detection is delayed and fire suppression capacity is limited.

Climate change and extreme weather

Warmer-than-average temperatures, decreased levels of snowpack, low soil moisture, and elevated drought conditions are indicators that climate change is impacting the frequency, size and intensity of wildfires in Canada.

We continue to see extreme hot temperatures at a greater frequency than in the past. These extreme factors increase the severity of heat waves and contribute to the risk of drought and wildfires.

A transition to El Niño is expected to develop this summer, taking full effect later this year. El Niño occurs when the surface water temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than average. This rise in temperature changes the atmosphere circulation and weather patterns around the globe, which can influence extreme climate, such as wildfire danger and a change in air-quality conditions.

As climate change continues to influence weather patterns, preparation and public awareness on wildfire prevention have never been so important.

Take action to protect yourself from wildfires

It's important that Canadians prepare for emergencies. Canada.ca/get-prepared has information for people in Canada to learn more about the risks and how to protect themselves including how to make an emergency plan, and what items to include in their emergency kit. Also check FireSmart Canada for more advice and guidance.

Canadians can take action to prevent and protect themselves from wildfires:

• Remove flammable materials and fire hazards from around your home such as dried branches, leaves and debris
• Plant fire resistant vegetation and choose non-combustible materials for home projects
• Avoid actions that can cause a fire to ignite
• Have your emergency plan, and emergency kit ready
• If fires are near, get to know your evacuation routes and make an evacuation plan
• Stay informed:
• use weather alerts and air quality advisories or the WeatherCAN app to monitor local weather conditions
• monitor local social media and/or listen to your local radio station for up-to-date information about fire restrictions or bans, weather conditions and advisories in your area
• monitor and follow the guidance of provincial, territorial, and local authorities
• Canadian Wildland Fire Information System monitors fire danger conditions and fire occurrences nationwide.

Working with First Nations communities

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is committed to working with First Nations to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildland fire events through year-long available investments in proposals for preparedness and mitigation.

FireSmart funding is available for eligible and on-reserve First Nations communities to strengthen their capacity to prepare for, mitigate and respond to wildfires risks. First Nations can access funding for their vegetation clearing projects such as removing forest debris in high-hazard forested areas, drawing on Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge of the local environment and terrain to inform their activities.

First Nations communities can also request funding to support community-led emergency preparedness and response planning through workshops, training and exercises. Under ISC's Non-structural Mitigation and Preparedness Program, First Nations emergency response personnel and volunteers can strengthen local mitigation and preparedness efforts through risk management activities. Funding can be used to host emergency management forums and workshops, conduct tabletop exercises to test emergency and evacuation plans and deliver emergency management training.

These activities help communities identify their priorities, enhance local emergency management capacity, and advance community-led initiatives to the risks and challenges they anticipate during the wildfire season.

Wildland-Urban Interface funding supports firefighting capacity in First Nations communities through the purchase of firefighting equipment and by providing First Nations firefighters with training to suppress fires at the wildland-urban interface. This includes items like wildland urban interface fast attack vehicles, personal protective equipment (PPE), wildland firefighting gear, tools and training for volunteer firefighters.

How the Government of Canada is responding

Federal response to wildfire emergencies includes close collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous communities, as well as non-governmental and volunteer organizations to support evacuees and affected communities.

The Government of Canada stands ready to support and respond to provincial and territorial requests for federal assistance when emergencies escalate beyond their ability to respond.

When an emergency event occurs, through its Emergency Management Assistance Program, Indigenous Services Canada reimburses 100 percent of eligible response and recovery costs for affected First Nations.

The Government of Canada investments in wildfire protection include:

• $316.7 million over five years (2026–2031) to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre to establish a national aerial firefighting surge capacity.
• $18 million in ongoing funding for 2026–27 to support First Nations in preparing for and mitigating against emergency events and their impacts, as part of Indigenous Services Canada's Non-Structural Mitigation and Preparedness program.
• $12.98 million for 2026–27 in ongoing capacity enhancement funding to support community disaster resilience, by providing funding to First Nations, Tribal Councils, and Indigenous regional organizations to hire Emergency Management Coordinators.
• $57.2 million over five years (2024–2029) under Indigenous Services Canada's FireSmart program to directly support First Nation communities and other eligible recipients with resources for Indigenous-led preventative measures, especially those located in high-risk areas.
• $39.2 millions over five years, starting in 2022–23 to increase firefighting capacity in First Nations communities by supporting the purchase and acquisition of firefighting equipment, and by providing First Nations firefighters with training to suppress fires at the wildland-urban interface.

Stay Connected

Follow Public Safety Canada on X, LinkedIn and YouTube
Follow Get Prepared on X
Follow Emergency Ready in Canada on Facebook
Follow Natural Resources Canada on LinkedIn

Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada:
X: @GCIndigenous
Facebook: @GCIndigenous @GCIndigenousHealth
Instagram: @gcindigenous