The official conclusion of Alberta’s 2023 wildfire season on October 31 was marked by a staggering record: 1,092 wildfires consumed an unprecedented 2.2 million hectares, as reported by the Alberta government.
While the total number of fires aligned with the five-year average of 1,100 for the 2018-2022 period, the extensive area burned witnessed a tenfold surge compared to the 190,000-hectare average during the same timeframe. The province characterized this season as “10 times more severe,”.
