Intensity of forest fires has changed, Sault researchers say

Great Lakes Forestry Centre researchers are studying extreme northwest wildfires that grew 40 km daily, using that data to improve future response tools.

As hundreds of wildfires rage across Ontario, researchers at the Sault’s Great Lakes Forestry Centre are keeping a close eye on the forest fire data as it becomes available.

The fires from northwest Ontario have shown numerous irregularities that will now be used when planning for future fire response.

Officials are dealing with nearly 200 wildfires across the province. Premier Doug Ford said Monday that of those, 56 are not under control and 112 are being observed.

Fire research scientists from the Great Lakes Forestry Centre said it has been a busy fire season so far, but not unprecedented.

“When we look at the area burned in Canada, it’s about three million hectares as of this morning,” said researcher Dan Thompson.

Fires are growing much more quickly

“And that’s only a little bit above the average from the last … 15 years or so.”

What is far from average, however, is the intensity of the fires seen in parts of northwestern Ontario, an intensity typically more common in places like British Columbia and Alberta.

“Really exceptionally big fire growth, about as big and as fast as these fires ever grow,” Thompson said.

“Some of these fires grew 40 kilometres in a day -- 40 linear kilometres -- over about a 24-hour period.”

These fast-moving fires will be used in data from this point forward. He said the information will be made available to incident management teams and municipalities to help them better protect Ontarians during wildfire season.

“My job is to help build those tools (to help) people on the ground … do a better job of forecasting and getting people out of the way and putting those fires out, eventually getting people back into their home,” Thompson said.

And when we hit new record temperatures in a part of the world, well, we just haven’t seen that before. So, forecasting and predictions are really hard for us to do. And so that’s where we’re still learning.”

Specifically in northeastern Ontario, Thompson said they’ve observed a slow drying in forests. He adds that there hasn’t been an abnormal number of fires so far in the region, and unless plenty of rain comes in the coming weeks, he said August could see an increase in fire danger.