1)The 2025 wildfire season is on track to be Canada’s 2nd-worst on record

By Nick Murray, June 12, 2025

The area burned by wildfires so far this season is the second-largest on record in Canada, according to government data.

Officials with Public Safety Canada held a technical briefing this morning in Ottawa to update media outlets on the state of multiple wildfires.

They say the greatest fire danger in July is expected to be in southern British Columbia, while the Northwest Territories and Yukon will face an increased risk of wildfires.

This year’s fire season — the second worst since the 2023 wildfire season — has seen wildfires consume 3.7 million hectares, six times the area of Prince Edward Island.

The 10-year average for wildfire seasons is about 800,000 hectares.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting higher-than-normal temperatures across the country through August, especially in provinces east of Manitoba — though the risk of wildfires remains highest in central and western provinces and territories.

2) Evacuee recalls ‘surreal’ escape as northern Ontario wildfire threatens First Nation

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Rianna Lim, June 10

When Destiny Rae boarded the military airplane that was evacuating residents of her First Nation in northwestern Ontario on Sunday, she looked out the window and saw her community in a smoky haze.

“It’s very surreal, you feel very sad,” Rae recalled.

“I remember looking back at the airport terminal and thinking, ‘This is my home. I hope it’s here when I come back.”

National Defence said CC-130 Hercules airplanes have been airlifting people out of Sandy Lake First Nation as a wildfire burns through the area, and more than 1,400 people had been evacuated as of Tuesday afternoon.

Among the evacuees was Rae, who said she’s not sure when she’ll be able to return home — and what will be left standing — as a 1,500-square kilometre, out-of-control blaze threatens her community.

As of Monday night, the provincial government said there were more than 20 active fires in northwestern Ontario, and six of them are out of control.

One of those fires remains about 6.5 kilometres from Sandy Lake First Nation, it said.

Rae said she was in disbelief when community leaders began evacuation efforts on Saturday, and “everything just moved so fast.” People began packing and planes started flying in as the smoke made it hard to breathe, she recalled.

“I walked out of the house and then to the left you see blue skies … then I turn right and then it’s just bright orange and the skies are smoky,” said Rae. “It’s a very scary feeling knowing then the fire is just right there.”

The plane had to circle around multiple times before it could safely land in Sandy Lake, she said, because the smoke was causing poor visibility.

Rae said her mother, son, sister and sister’s children boarded two military planes headed for Thunder Bay. Her brother is still in the community helping people, she added.

“It was a very sad moment when we took off,” Rae said.

The province said communities in Kapuskasing and southern Ontario are hosting the evacuees.

Rae said her family landed in Thunder Bay, then another plane took the evacuees to Mississauga, Ont., just west of Toronto. About three hundred people remain there, she said, including some from Deer Lake First Nation, which was evacuated about two weeks ago.

Now, Rae said she’s volunteering as a support worker as more people fly in. She’s helping them sort out hotel rooms and connect with Red Cross, she said.

Across the country, tens of thousands have fled from raging wildfires in recent days, prompting both Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare provincial states of emergency. 

In Saskatchewan, the province is dealing with multiple fires in the north that have forced between 10,000 and 15,000 people to flee, including 7,000 from the La Ronge area. 

Meanwhile, about 21,000 have been forced out of communities in Manitoba ahead of the fires, including all 5,000 residents of the city of Flin Flon and about 6,700 from Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said firefighters from the United States have been called in to help fight the fires. On Monday, Australia’s High Commission to Canada announced Australian firefighting crews have  been deployed to Canada. 

Although Rae is still worried about what will remain of Sandy Lake First Nation when she returns, the experience has shown her how community members have shown up for one another.

“We just have to take it one day at a time,” Rae said. “Most importantly, we just help each other in a time like this … I know we can get by if we’re just there for each other.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.

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This year’s fire season — the second worst since the 2023 wildfire season — has seen wildfires consume 3.7 million hectares, six times the area of Prince Edward Island.

The 10-year average for wildfire seasons is about 800,000 hectares.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting higher-than-normal temperatures across the country through August, especially in provinces east of Manitoba — though the risk of wildfires remains highest in central and western provinces and territories.

3) (Updated) Ottawa sending support from armed forces amid northern Ontario wildfire evacuations

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Rianna Lim, June 8, 2025.

The federal government has deployed members of the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate a northwestern Ontario First Nation as wildfires rapidly spread in the region, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday.

Carney said in a social media post that Ottawa has accepted Ontario’s urgent request for assistance in and around Sandy Lake First Nation, and the military will help with emergency airlift evacuations.

“We’re prepared to mobilize every resource needed to keep Canadians safe,” Carney wrote.

The military deployment was also discussed at a meeting of the Incident Response Group that Carney convened on Sunday to address the already highly active wildfire season, according to a readout of the meeting provided by the Prime Minister’s Office.

As of Sunday, the Ontario government said the Red Lake 12 wildfire, near Deer Lake First Nation, is out of control and more than 1,500 square kilometres in size. The fire is about six kilometres from the community of Sandy Lake First Nation, it said.

“Overnight growth was minimal, but the fire has been exhibiting high intensity activity this morning,” the Ministry of Natural Resources said.

Helicopters and fire ranger crews are continuing to suppress the fires and are focusing on structure protection, the ministry said, adding that minimal rain is forecasted in the next 24 hours.

The ministry said Sandy Lake First Nation is conducting a phase one evacuation of residents by air, and boats will be available if needed. The province said Deer Lake First Nation remains evacuated and is being protected by fire rangers.

It said the province’s northwest region had 26 active fires as of Saturday night, seven of which were out of control.

Videos and photos on social media showed one fire approaching a construction site near Sandy Lake First Nation on Saturday, with multiple cargo containers catching on fire and crews reportedly escaping the blaze by sheltering in one of them.

Manitoba-based construction company Sigfusson Northern confirmed their 14 crew members and four additional staffers were safely evacuated after they were working on a job site near the First Nation.

“Our crews showed an extreme level of professionalism and courage in the face of a rapidly changing situation,” the company said in a social media post.

The crew began work in Sandy Lake on Saturday before an evacuation order was in place, but the company says it initiated an aircraft evacuation early that morning and the crew were evacuated later in the day. 

Other provinces, including Manitoba and Saskatchewan, are also undergoing evacuation efforts in some areas due to wildfires.

The wildfires prompted air quality alerts in Ontario. Environment Canada warned that smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility in areas including Sioux Lookout, Summer Beaver and Ear Falls. 

The weather agency added that some northeastern areas, including Timmins, Kapuskasing and Attawapiskat, are under a special air quality statement Sunday due to the smoke.

Special air quality statements in place across most of the southern part of the province over the weekend had been lifted as of Sunday.