Canada wildfires 2024: Smoke from Canadian wildfires travels 4,000 km over Atlantic, greying Europe's skies

The latest on active wildfire counts, maps, evacuation orders, air quality and smoke alerts nationwide

Corné van Hoepen
·Editor, Yahoo News Canada
Updated

It took a week and more than 4,000 kilometres to do it, but wildfire smoke from Canada has made its way across the North Atlantic and reached the skies over parts of Europe this week. As a result, hazy sunsets are being reported in many regions in Europe, including Ireland. In western Canada, as Jasper evacuees make their way home following an evacuation order, they are being warned of furry visitors who have made their way into the village.

For the latest on active wildfire counts, evacuation order and alerts, and insight into how wildfires are impacting everyday Canadians, scroll below to see our Yahoo Canada live blog.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER6 updates
  • Featured
    Corné van Hoepen

    National wildfire outlook map Aug 23: How many fires are currently burning in Canada?

    Active fires in Canada today: 809

    The map below details the locations of wildfires across Canada and classified by status of:

    Red = Out of Control

    Yellow = Being Held

    Blue = Under control

    Purple = Out of Control (Monitored)

    Active wildfires across Canada on Aug. 23, 2024. (Map Credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fires Centre INC.)
    Active wildfires across Canada on Aug. 23, 2024. (Map Credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fires Centre INC.)

    New fires today (Aug. 23): 4

    Fires to date in 2024: 4,909

    Area burned to date in 2024 (HA): 4.8M

    Graph detailing number of active wildfires broken down by province. (Graph credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre INC.)
    Graph detailing number of active wildfires broken down by province. (Graph credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre INC.)

    Key Canada wildfire updates Friday p.m.:

    🔥 British Columbia's wildfire service says rain and cooler temperatures have helped crews turn the corner on a number of larger blazes.

    🔥 The Canadian government is providing $16 million over five years to help the Yukon increase its capacity to fight wildland fires.

    🔥 The road to recovery is starting to clear for businesses in Jasper, Alta., a month after some 25,000 visitors and residents were forced to flee a raging wildfire.

  • Corné van Hoepen

    Five wildfire photos you need to see today

    Houses and building along Patricia and Geikie streets, burned in the July 24 Jasper Complex wildfire, are seen in a still image from drone video taken in Jasper, Alberta, Canada August 15, 2024. Luuk Wijk/Parks Canada/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT
    Houses and building along Patricia and Geikie streets, burned in the July 24 Jasper Complex wildfire, are seen in a still image from drone video taken in Jasper, Alberta. Luuk Wijk/Parks Canada/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT
    Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly hosted the South African firefighters as a thank-you for playing a critical role in firefight.
    Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly hosted the South African firefighters as a thank-you for playing a critical role in firefight.
    Resident Alice Foubert photographs damage in Jasper, Alberta, because she says the disaster is part of Jasper's history, on Monday August 19, 2024. Wildfire caused evacuations and widespread damage in the National Park and Jasper townsite. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
    Resident Alice Foubert photographs damage in Jasper, Alberta, because she says the disaster is part of Jasper's history,. Wildfire caused evacuations and widespread damage in the National Park and Jasper townsite. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
    British Columbia's wildfire service says southern parts of the province are benefitting from rain and cooler weather, a reprieve for the southeast in particular. The eastern flank of a fire designated R32019 by the B.C. Wildfire Service is seen near Seaton, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildfire Service.
    British Columbia's wildfire service says southern parts of the province are benefitting from rain and cooler weather, a reprieve for the southeast in particular. The eastern flank of a fire designated R32019 by the B.C. Wildfire Service is seen near Seaton, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildfire Service.
    The incident management team (IMT) in B.C. have been busy welcoming the Québec crews with bilingual camp signage. (Courtesy: B.C. Wildfire Service)
    The incident management team (IMT) in B.C. have been busy welcoming the Québec crews with bilingual camp signage. (Courtesy: B.C. Wildfire Service)
  • Corné van Hoepen

    'We all fell in love with you': Foreign Affairs Minister honours South African fire crews that play critical role in Canada's wildfire fight

    Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, extended gratitude towards the South African firefighters from Working on Fire, recognizing their invaluable role in combating wildfires across Canada since 2015.

    Reflecting on the challenging period, Joly noted, “last summer, Canadians were under a lot of stress as we battled historic wildfires that created a lot of anxiety, particularly for communities that had to be displaced, including many indigenous groups. The smoke and smell was affecting the entire territory of Canada, reaching as far as New York City.”

    “We needed help and help came from people here in the south who were going through their own winter season," said Joly in reference to the 861 firefighters and management from Working on Fire who came to Canada to help fight wildfires in 2023.

    READ MORE: South African fire crews go viral after joyous arrival in Canada to join wildfires battles

    “We were amazed by the work that the firefighters from South Africa did, they caught our imagination and we loved their dancing and it just brought a bit of joy during a difficult moment."

    Trevor Abrahams, Managing Director of Working on Fire South Africa, said that the recognition highlights the success of their six deployments to Canada during some of that country’s most challenging wildfire seasons.

  • Corné van Hoepen

    Residents of burned seniors' lodge in Jasper eager to return home

    Seniors who lived in a lodge that was completely destroyed in the Jasper wildfire are weighing their options, as they face a two- to three-year wait for their home to be rebuilt.

    The Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor was among the 358 structures incinerated when the fire breached Jasper, Alta., on July 24.

    "It's been stressful for everybody. Tempers are short and it's taxing on the brain," said long-time Jasper resident Kerry Wilgosh, 69, in an interview with CBC News.

    The Pine Grove Manor was completely destroyed in the Jasper fire. (Courtesy: CBC News)
    The Pine Grove Manor was completely destroyed in the Jasper fire. (Courtesy: CBC News)

    Plans are underway on a medium-term solution. The Town of Hinton has approved a plan to sell land next to an existing seniors' lodge to the Alberta Social Housing Corporation for one dollar. The province plans to build modular senior housing in Hinton within a year.

    Current Jasper wildfire situation

    The Jasper Wildfire Complex was labelled as being held last weekend, according to reports by Parks Canada. It has burned more than 33,000 hectares in the national park.

    The wildfires are among 77 total wildfires burning throughout Alberta as of Friday afternoon, according to Alberta Wildfire.

    Jasper evacuees warned of furry visitors in village

    As evacuees from Jasper make their way home after the three-week long evacuation order was rescinded last Friday, Parks Canada officials warn that an increasing number of bears have taken up residence in the village.

    Residents are warned to stay safe and alert for bears in town, keep dogs on a leash and check your yard for wildlife before you leave the house.

     

  • Corné van Hoepen

    Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets skies over Europe

    It took a week and more than 4,000 kilometres to do it, but wildfire smoke from Western and Northern Canada crossed the North Atlantic and reached the skies over parts of Europe this week.

    As a result, hazy sunsets have been seen across Europe including Ireland.

    It was reported that wildfire smoke from Canada has been trekking across the North Atlantic since Aug. 10, finally hitting Western Europe on Aug. 17.

    The result, aside from the picturesque sunsets and moon rises, has been a vast increase in levels of particulate matter and aerosols such as smoke particles in Ireland, the United Kingdom, France and Scandinavia.

    People chimed in on social media with posts showing smoky sunsets in various regions across Europe.

  • Corné van Hoepen

    National wildfire outlook map Aug 23: How many fires are currently burning in Canada?

    Active fires in Canada today: 821

    The map below details locations of wildfires across Canada and classified by status of:

    Red = Out of Control

    Yellow = Being Held

    Blue = Under control

    Purple = Out of Control (Monitored)

    Active wildfires across Canada on Aug. 23, 2024. (Map Credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fires Centre INC.)
    Active wildfires across Canada on Aug. 23, 2024. (Map Credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fires Centre INC.)

    New fires today (Aug. 23): 1

    Fires to date in 2024: 4,905

    Area burned to date in 2024 (HA): 4.8M

    Graph detailing number of active wildfires broken down by province. (Graph credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre INC.)
    Graph detailing number of active wildfires broken down by province. (Graph credit: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre INC.)

    Key Canada wildfire updates Friday:

    🔥 Wildfire smoke from Canada has travelled more than 4,000 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean, blanketing European skies this week.

    🔥 Jasper officials have issued a warning after an increasing number of black bears is being reported in the village as evacuees make their way back home.

    🔥 Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly thanked South Africa's Working on Fire for crucial role in battling wildfires since 2015.

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