The fires are not only burning through important ecosystems but are also forcing many people from their homes and impacting the health of Canadians coast to coast.
Despite the challenging season, there are some new technologies aiding fire crews around the world and in Canada, like better fire suppression that does not harm nature and artificial intelligence-powered cameras helping with early detection of fires.
Canadians can also participate in preventing wildfires with some techniques in farming.
ECO-FRIENDLY FIRE SUPPRESSION
One new technology is eco-gel from FireRein, an Ontario-based company focusing on making firefighting products safer for humans and the environment.
"The foam of the future isn't really a foam, it's a gel," Quincy Emmons, a co-founder of FireRein told CTVNews.ca in an interview.
The eco-gel is made of plant-based ingredients like cornstarch and canola oil, and when mixed with the correct ratio of water can be sprayed out of a hose coating with a consistency similar to hair gel.
"If you've had a salad and salad dressing, you've had most of our ingredients," Emmons said.
Emmons told CTVNews.ca it is the "only product in the world" like it.
The gel comes in a liquid concentrate that can be added to many firetrucks in place of foam and works with traditional firefighting equipment such as eductors and nozzles.
The gel is "sticky" and can grip on and stay in place.
Leaves coated in eco-gel. (FireRein)
"Think of ketchup being squeezed, the ketchup wants to move and then you stop squeezing it, then it'll stay in place within a few seconds," Emmons said.
It can also be applied to structures, vegetation and valuable infrastructure as a fire-prevention barrier.
It gives firefighters the capacity to push the gel and fire away from something. One issue with existing foam, Emmons said, is it can run off, contaminating drinking water.
"If they want to push the contaminant away from a storm drain or a stream you have more control," he said.
The product still needs to be used in large capacities to fight wildfires but is being trialled or used by 15 departments across Canada, the majority being in Ontario.
Emmons said the product can be dropped out of existing planes aiding the fight against large wildfires.
"This exponentially improves a country's fire management system, just because you're using existing planes," he said.
Emmons says once the fire is extinguished —and depending on weather conditions — the product breaks down over a few days.
"That's the beauty about our product, it is a gel, (but) it's unlike other gels as it isn't based on super absorbent polymers," he said. "As you start to get more water in there it just starts to break up at a certain point."
When asked if the product could harm delicate ecosystems, Emmons said a study with the University of Guelph "didn't kill anything."
REGENERATIVE SOIL TECHNIQUES
Prevention methods to deter fire from reaching communities is a key strategy officials use during the wildfire season and can be aided further by farmers.
Regeneration Canada, a grassroots organization based in Montreal, is pushing the idea of how crops can deter the spread of a wildfire.
"Our mission is to promote and to implement regenerative practices on farms but also close this loop by integrating more stakeholders," Antonious Petro, executive director of Regeneration Canada, told CTVNews.ca in an interview.
Regenerative farming is the treatment of the soil, incorporating ecosystems around the farm and promoting a food chain that does not place a burden on nature. The simplest form of regenerative farming is taking care of the soil, which in turn keeps it moist, Petro said.
To achieve moist soil, Petro says farmers need to focus on retaining roots and crop health year-round. One way to do this is by ensuring multiple species of plants can live together on the same plot of land.
Farmer Drew Spoelstra inspects his soy crop on his farm in Hamilton, Ont., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)
"When you have a crop that is ready to be harvested there's another crop that's just coming out of the ground that holds this moisture together so that it never (dries)," Perto said.
Other solutions include not plowing and careful planting of seeds. If there are physical disturbances to the soil, such as by rotating the underground microorganisms to the top into direct sunlight, the soil is not able to retain water.
In the fall and winter, many crops are given a break before the next year's planting season. Petro says adding "green manure" to the soil will help its regeneration.
"Green manure is plants that bring nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil," he said. "We have snow because the life in the soil still nourishes during our winter because the snow acts as an insulator."
Adding nutrients just prior to snowfall will keep the microorganisms alive throughout the harsh winters.
Crop rotation, which is the practice of planting different seeds on a plot of land each year, will increase the biodiversity of the soil.
"We always talk about the diversity in our food system and how we eat as humans, it's the same thing for soil," Petro said.
If the soil is exposed to different animals like poultry, livestock and wild animals it enhances biodiversity.
Healthy soil by itself is not going to stop wildfire, but Petro says farms could play a role in slowing the spread to communities.
"It's important to say that it's not the solution, it's a myriad of other things," he said. "(But) I think we can have this shield."
AI FIRE DETECTION
Before fighting a wildfire, officials need to be aware of where it has started.
To assist with early detection, Pano AI, a U.S.-based company, is using artificial intelligence (AI) and 360-degree cameras to detect and alert for smoke.
The company was formed in 2020 — in the aftermath of the California wildfires — and Arvind Satyam, CCO of Pano AI, told CTVNews.ca in an interview that wildfire detection is part of the solution.
"The question we wanted to ask ourselves is, what is the role of tech to be a force multiplier in this space? Because if the answer is you need more resources, more planes, more boots on the ground, more engines, great, that's a resource allocation thing," Satyam said. "But our working hypothesis is that tech can really make a fundamental difference."
Pano AI cameras are seen on a tower in Ribblebrook, Or. (Contributed Pano AI)
By using new advanced AI, the company has been able to accurately detect smoke and send quick alerts to officials.
Stakeholders told Satyam that often fires are only detected by humans calling in to emergency services or by satellites reporting heat signatures.
"By that stage, you're actually missing many of the early moments of a fire," he said.
Pano AI is a link between early detection and an alert system, Satyam said.
The company will mount its 360-degree camera on top of existing infrastructure like cell towers, and from there will monitor the landscape up to 24 kilometres away.
"Think of a lookout that's operational, 24/7," Satyam said.
This can become difficult in northern remote Canadian landscapes that do not have existing infrastructure. In instances where mounting a high vantage point is too difficult or costly, Satyam says the company can provide its services through satellite.
"Put it this way, every place that we've looked at in the U.S. and Australia, from a (communications) standpoint, we've been able to find a solution," Satyam said.
The company trained AI to monitor the cameras and alert human counterparts if there's a sign of smoke. From there the staffed office can confirm the smoke and alert authorities in the area.
Artificial intelligence captures an area where smoke is seen. (Pano AI)
"There's a lot of time that gets spent in being able to know where the incident is and to be able to size up the incident. So there is the detection piece, but then there's a confirmation piece," he said. "Then there is the ability to respond in a rapid fashion if it's a high rate of spread incident."
Not only can the AI detect smoke, it can pinpoint how far it is in the view of the camera and monitor how quickly it is spreading.
"Satellites do a really good job at nighttime because they're looking at heat anomalies, (but) during the day, you could have some false positives," Satyam said. "So the idea of coupling cameras with AI but also having satellites becomes a really powerful twofer solution."
The cameras built with AI, satellite detection and the alert response team come together and are given to governments as an entire package costing around $66,137 (US $50,000) per location for year-long monitoring.
Currently, the company is operating in parts of the U.S. and Australia.
"Early detection, with situational awareness followed by rapid initial attack (is critical)," Satyam said. "Minutes absolutely matter."
A local law enforcement commissioner revealed during a House Homeland Security hearing on Tuesday stunning new details about the security failures that led to the near assassination of Donald Trump, raising more questions for the embattled U.S. Secret Service.
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
Comments Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance made in 2021 questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership because she did not have biological children have resurfaced, testing the young conservative senator in his early days campaigning as part of the Republicans' presidential ticket.
Thousands of wildfire evacuees forced from Jasper National Park into British Columbia along smoke-choked mountain roads Monday night were directed Tuesday to make a wide U-turn and head home if they needed a place to stay.
The Bank of Canada is expected to deliver a dose of interest rate relief Wednesday when economists and market watchers predict the central bank will cut its overnight lending rate.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to hand-pick a candidate for a riding in an upcoming Montreal byelection isn't being well-received by three aspiring contenders who spent months campaigning only to be shunted aside.
Speculation is mounting that Celine Dion will make an appearance at the Paris Olympics after landing in the French capital days before the opening ceremony.
The British Columbia couple whose remains recently washed ashore on Nova Scotia's remote Sable Island have been identified as 70-year-old James Brett Clibbery and his 54-year-old wife, Sarah Packwood.
Thousands of wildfire evacuees forced from Jasper National Park into British Columbia along smoke-choked mountain roads Monday night were directed Tuesday to make a wide U-turn and head home if they needed a place to stay.
A fishing boat carrying 27 people sank Tuesday nearly 200 miles (320 kilometers) off the coast of the Falkland Islands, leaving at least six people dead and seven people missing, according to British and Spanish maritime officials.
The director of the Secret Service resigned Tuesday in the aftermath of the assassination attempt against former U.S. president Donald Trump that unleashed an outcry about how the agency failed in its core mission to protect current and former presidents.
A roaring crowd of battleground state voters greeted U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris Tuesday as she opened her Democratic political case against Republican former President Donald Trump.
A surprise eruption that shot steam, water and dark-colored rock and dirt dozens of feet into the sky Tuesday sent people running for safety in Yellowstone National Park.
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez will resign Aug. 20 following his conviction for taking bribes for corrupt acts including acting as an agent of the Egyptian government, he wrote in a letter to New Jersey's governor obtained by The Associated Press.
While Steve Bannon serves a four-month federal prison term, the conservative strategist now has a December date for a different trial in New York, where he's charged with scheming to con donors who gave money to build a border wall with Mexico.
Court documents show federal immigration officials warned that the government risked undermining the temporary immigration system with the design of the emergency visa program for war-displaced Ukrainians.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to hand-pick a candidate for a riding in an upcoming Montreal byelection isn't being well-received by three aspiring contenders who spent months campaigning only to be shunted aside.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is criticizing the federal government for reducing funds to search the grounds of former residential schools, saying they are profoundly disappointed and outraged.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says a 'worrisome' parasite has been confirmed in at least one area on Prince Edward Island and samples from several oyster farms have been sent for testing.
A Canadian organization that develops quality and safety standards says long-term care homes need to focus more on supporting their residents' mental health.
Nearly 40 million people were living with the HIV virus that causes AIDS last year, over nine million weren't getting any treatment, and the result was that every minute someone died of AIDS-related causes, the UN said in a new report launched Monday.
Sharks living off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine, according to new research, the first time that the drug has been detected in free-ranging sharks.
Google is planning to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, it said on Monday, after years of pledging to phase out the tiny packets of code meant to track users on the internet.
Cybercriminals are already capitalizing on the chaos from Friday’s massive global tech outage by promoting fake websites filled with malicious software designed to compromise unsuspecting victims.
Sparks flew in court Tuesday as a Nevada judge rebuked a defence attorney and an ailing former Los Angeles-area gang leader lashed out against prosecutors during his renewed effort to be freed from jail to house arrest ahead of his trial in the 1996 killing of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur.
Speculation is mounting that Celine Dion will make an appearance at the Paris Olympics after landing in the French capital days before the opening ceremony.
The Bank of Canada is expected to deliver a dose of interest rate relief Wednesday when economists and market watchers predict the central bank will cut its overnight lending rate.
Hundreds of Ontario's liquor stores reopened Tuesday following a strike that lasted more than two weeks, but the fighting between the union representing workers and the government dragged on.
Red Lobster is moving closer to a bankruptcy sale that would put lenders, including Fortress Investment Group, in charge of the company after no other bidders stepped up with an offer to repay the struggling U.S. restaurant chain's debt, according to court documents.
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
If you look around at your friends and family — and even at yourself — it is apparent that some people perceive the glass to be half full, while others view it as half empty. Which habits can you adopt to increase your level of happiness? A social psychologist has these five tips.
American rapper and actor Snoop Dogg will be one of the final torchbearers of the Olympic flame ahead of the Games’ Opening Ceremony in Paris on Friday.
Kayla Alexander had 21 points and six rebounds as Canada's women's basketball team continued its preparations for the Paris Olympics with a 77-74 won over No. 3 Australia on Tuesday.
Toronto's Deputy Mayor is calling on the city's staff to develop a plan to tackle the "critical" congestion levels in Liberty Village, made worse by a slew of summer construction and major events at nearby venues.
Nova Scotia is suspending the licensed Cape Breton moose hunt for three years due to what the province is calling a “significant drop” in the population.
A well-known childhood prank known as 'nicky nicky nine doors,' or 'ding dong ditch,' has escalated into a more serious game that could lead to charges for some Surrey, B.C. teens.
It's been more than a month since their good friend was seriously hurt in an accident and two teens from Riverview, N.B., are still having a hard time dealing with it.
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.
The owners of a Vancouver cheese shop say a quick-thinking transit driver prevented what could have a been a "terrible situation" after the driver noticed flames outside the business in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Police say 18 suspects arrested in connection with a string of violent home invasions, carjackings and robberies in Peel Region are connected to an 'organized criminal network' operating out of Brampton and Mississauga.
Work is underway to install 20 new photo radar cameras across the City of Ottawa, as the city continues to expand the automated speed enforcement program.
The City of Ottawa has received an application to build two high-rise, mixed-use towers at the corner of Marketplace Avenue and McGarry Terrace, near Strandherd Drive, and a 440 sq. m. publicly accessible courtyard.
It's still unclear if tire marks on the rainbow crosswalk in Pembroke, Ont. were deliberate, but community leaders worry this is part of a growing trend of anti-LGTBQ2S+ vandalism in the area.
Montreal police say a youth who was arrested in connection with the killing of a 42-year-old man in the West Island last February has escaped from custody in Ontario
Speculation is mounting that Celine Dion will make an appearance at the Paris Olympics after landing in the French capital days before the opening ceremony.
The Quebec government is injecting another $413 million into the Airbus A220 commercial jet program, formerly known as the C Series, in a bid to improve its return on investment.
Alberta's premier says changes are needed to the province's emergency alert system after incorrect information was shared about the Jasper evacuation on Monday night.
Thousands of wildfire evacuees forced from Jasper National Park into British Columbia along smoke-choked mountain roads Monday night were directed Tuesday to make a wide U-turn and head home if they needed a place to stay.
The British Columbia couple whose remains recently washed ashore on Nova Scotia's remote Sable Island have been identified as 70-year-old James Brett Clibbery and his 54-year-old wife, Sarah Packwood.
A man whose charges were stayed following an investigation into an alleged child sex trafficking ring in Portage la Prairie says his life has been ruined.
Whether you own a farm or have a backyard berry patch, the province is warning fruit growers about a tiny pest causing massive problems: the spotted wing drosophila (SWD).
The Winnipeg Police Service has arrested seven people in connection to a 3D-printed gun investigation, which included one man who was helping operate the planning from prison.
Not only with the Saskatchewan Roughriders be without wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker on offence this week but running back, A.J. Ouellette will also miss this game due to injury.
Noor Ayesha from Kitchener Ont., is battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer while pushing the province to fund an expensive drug, which could extend her life.
A Sudbury man has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault in connection with a threesome in 2013 but doesn't have to register as a sex offender.
A 70-year-old suspect has been charged with multiple sexual assault charges that took place while he worked for the former Algonquin Child and Family Services.
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
Early this afternoon, a man entered a business in the area of Richmond Street and Oxford Street East, and left without paying for items that he picked up inside. He was confronted by a member of the public, who was stabbed.
It was a bittersweet occasion Tuesday, as Elgin County raised a flag at its administration building to recognize Drowning Prevention Week. It comes on the heels of a drowning in Port Stanley just over a week ago.
A young driver faces charges after police received reports about a vehicle slamming into the guardrail along Highway 400 Tuesday morning and driving off.
Julia's family is holding a visitation Monday night in Ajax. They say they plan to have a celebration of life sometime next week at Sand Banks Provincial Park.
“I'm hopeful she'll be bringing us back a medal,” said Tremblay, who also coached his son David Jr. and watched him wrestle at the Olympics in England in 2012.
Windsor-Detroit Tunnel users are being warned of a circulating scam. According to officials, customers have reported receiving a text message claiming they owe money for tolls.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has issued a precautionary notice to residents of a blue-green algae bloom on Lake St. Clair in the area near Stoney Point.
An 11-year-old girl selling handmade gemstone bracelets on her porch had most of her crafts stolen last week, according to authorities on Vancouver Island.
Standing on the edge of an open aircraft hatch, a smokejumper in a pale yellow suit steadies himself before rocking back then swinging out the door and vanishing as gravity takes over.
The trial of two men charged with conspiring to murder Mounties at the Coutts border blockade in Alberta is expected to hear more testimony today from one of the accused.
If you don’t have tickets yet to one of the six Taylor Swift Eras Tour concerts in Toronto, there still might be hope as a northern Ontario hospital is raffling off a pair.
The owner of a refinery in Newfoundland has been charged with health and safety violations for a flash explosion at the plant in 2022 that killed a worker and injured seven others.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent investigators to Newfoundland to determine what caused a fire aboard a fishing boat that forced the crew to abandon the vessel for a life-raft, leaving them at the mercy of the waves for two days.
Labrador City residents who were ordered to evacuate last week after the reignition of a once-smouldering fire near the town were allowed to return home Monday.