By Staff, Agencies

As more than 900 wildfires continue to burn across Canada, forcing evacuations and pushing Ontario into its worst wildfire season on record, officials are renewing calls for a national wildfire strategy through the creation of a federal emergency agency.

Currently, Canada remains the only G7 country without a national agency specifically mandated to coordinate wildfire responses. Following a devastating July that destroyed First Nations communities in northeastern Ontario and spread hazardous smoke into the United States, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called for a nationwide approach to tackling the growing threat.

The calls follow several years of unprecedented wildfire activity. Canada's record-breaking 2023 season scorched 15 million hectares, while 2024 ranked as the fourth worst on record. The 2025 season has already become the country's second worst, with 8.3 million hectares burned.

According to experts, climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions is fueling increasingly severe fire seasons. Wildfire specialist Mike Flannigan said a federal emergency agency would strengthen Canada's ability to respond not only to fires but also to floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes.

At present, wildfire management remains the responsibility of provinces and territories, with federal assistance provided when requested. Experts argue that a national coordinating body could improve resource deployment and speed up emergency responses.

Meanwhile, a Canadian Senate report released in June also recommended establishing a federal office to coordinate wildfire and emergency management. Although Prime Minister Mark Carney recently convened a cabinet emergency committee to oversee the current crisis, his government stopped short of announcing a national wildfire agency.

Nevertheless, Canada's Ministry of Emergency Management and Community Resilience said it is considering the creation of a federal emergency management agency as part of an ongoing review. Experts argue that such an agency would reduce long-term costs by limiting destruction and mitigating the health impacts of increasingly severe wildfire seasons.