The Summit Lake wildfire burns west of Fort Nelson, B.C. on June 8, 2025. Once deemed extraordinary, wildfires are turning into annual occurrences.HO/The Canadian Press

Carole Saab is CEO of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and a member of the Advisory Council for the Canadian Climate Institute. Rick Smith is president of the Canadian Climate Institute.

Wildfires are once again devastating vast areas of our country – from the Prairies to British Columbia and into Northern Ontario. Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate. Children are being transported to safety. Smoke is choking towns and cities hundreds of kilometres away. Local leaders are working around the clock, co-ordinating shelters, mobilizing emergency services and holding their communities together amid disruption and fear.

These wildfires are not isolated events. They are part of a troubling pattern of more frequent climate-related disasters. What once felt extraordinary is now a regular occurrence. And while communities continue to show remarkable strength, the systems meant to support them are under strain.

The climate emergency is here, and it is a test of the ways in which our governments and institutions manage growing risks and protect Canadians. And it is increasingly an economic challenge, too, as the costs of inaction mount across the country.

Wildfire smoke........

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