New Brunswick launches wildfire season early due to lack of snow

New Brunswick is getting ready for the 2026 wildfire season.

New Brunswick has launched the wildfire season early this year due to a lack of snow and record-low precipitation levels.

Last wildfire season, more than 400 fires raged across New Brunswick, including one north of Miramichi that at one point grew to more than 1,400 hectares.

This season, the provincial government is spending $6.7 million to improve wildfire response efforts by converting 74 seasonal forest ranger positions into year-round roles.

Premier Susan Holt says turning the seasonal roles in the year-round positions has allowed staff to prepare and train over the winter.

“And be ready to deliver, especially in a situation like this one, where we might have an early season because of how dry it is today,” says Holt. “We don’t want to be waiting for somebody to be able to come back on to contract when we might need them sooner than imagined.

“Having the team ready, trained, all of our equipment ready, because we’ve had the people to deploy throughout the winter has put in a position to better protect New Brunswickers for this season.”

The provincial government is also adding four new Fire Boss aircrafts in its contract with Forest Protection Ltd. The Fire Boss can scoop water directly from lakes and rivers.

Natural Resources Minister John Herron says New Brunswick has just experienced one of its driest winters in decades with 10 consecutive months of below-normal precipitation.

“We’re trying to send a signal to New Brunswickers that we need to be vigilant, to look after each other in making sure we’re not putting our neighbours, our structures, and our communities at risk,” says Herron.

New Brunswickers can check the Fire Watch page or the wildfire dashboard for updates on burn notices and fire conditions. The dashboard will be updated daily at 2 p.m.

People can also check burning conditions by calling 1-866-458-8080.

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Nick Moore

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.