The start to the 2026 wildfire season has been slow with the number of fires raging across the country well below average, but government officials warn that as the summer progresses there’s a risk things could get much worse.
Hectares burned so far this year sit at 5% of 10-year national average
Peter Zimonjic · CBC News
· Posted: May 28, 2026 12:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
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A helicopter refills a bucket of water during wildfire season last year in B.C. This summer is predicted to be hot and dry, which increases the risk of large fires. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press)
The start to the 2026 wildfire season has been slow with the number of fires raging across the country well below average, but government officials warn that as the summer progresses there’s a risk things could get much worse.
“Despite the fact that we’re seeing so little activity so far this year … this summer retains the potential to be a significant one right across the country,” a government official said Thursday during a technical briefing.
The official said that while the wildfire risk is unlikely to result in a record-breaking year like 2023 or 2025,
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