Wildfires are spreading fast in Canada — we must strengthen forests for the future

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02919-z

By Christopher Mulverhill, Nicholas C. Coops, Yan Boulanger, Kira M. Hoffman, Amy Cardinal Christianson, Lori D. Daniels, Maude Flamand-Hubert, Amy R. Wotherspoon & Alexis Achim

In July, a massive wildfire swept through Jasper National Park, Canada, forcing 25,000 people to evacuate. The fire covered 33,000 hectares, making it the largest in the park in over a century. This alarming rise in wildfires across Canada is tied to climate change and outdated fire management strategies. While fires are crucial to ecosystems, their growing intensity demands new approaches, such as Indigenous-led fire stewardship and the use of cutting-edge technology like satellites and drones. By combining traditional knowledge with modern tools, we can better manage wildfires and protect forests for the future.