The wildfire season has been unusually severe this year, breaking historical records on the amount of land burned and affecting communities that are unaccustomed to dealing with the flames and smoke.
The flames have threatened critical infrastructure and forced evacuations while the prolonged exposure to smoke has created potentially dangerous conditions, particularly for people with pre-existing health concerns. The number of fires has more than doubled since that month, from 323 active fires at the beginning of June to 656 this week.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said he expected this season would be difficult when it began months earlier than typically anticipated, calling the weather projections at that time "sobering and concerning." The risk isn't only to communities threatened by nearby fires, but also from the smoke that can travel great distances and settle over communities for days at a time.