Why is Canada’s 2023 fire season so bad? The advancing flames clear debris from the forest floor and cycle nutrients through the soil, allowing new growth to emerge, while the heat opens the cones of black spruce trees, releasing the seeds within. A mix of young and old forest supports a vast array of wildlife — including moose and caribou, predators like wolves, owls, foxes and martens, their small prey, and more than 300 species of migratory songbird that breed in the boreal each summer. However, due to human-caused climate change, boreal forests today are experiencing longer summers and warmer and drier conditions, making it easier for fires to ignite and spread. And as fires become more frequent and intense, parts of the boreal don’t have enough time to rejuvenate between burns, making them less resilient and productive.
