In his 42-year career as the Grand Falls-Windsor fire Chief, Vince MacKenzie has witnessed significant changes. The community, located approximately 16 kilometers from the Martin Lake wildfire, which has already consumed 2,160 hectares, is facing earlier and more intense fire seasons. MacKenzie expressed concerns about the escalating fire risks due to increasingly hot and dry conditions, emphasizing the reality of climate change within the fire service.
Attributing the rise in wildfires to climate change, MacKenzie noted that fires are becoming synonymous with Canadian summers. Kaitlyn Trudeau, from Climate Central, has been researching the connection between higher average temperatures and climate change using the Climate Shift Index. This index indicates that climate change has made fire conditions in most of Newfoundland at least five times more likely.
Trudeau explained that Climate Central’s research aims to demonstrate the impact of greenhouse gases on weather events through climate attribution. By comparing the current world with one devoid of greenhouse gases, researchers have calculated the increased probability of extreme temperatures in specific locations. This analysis helps people understand the exacerbation of wildfire conditions by climate change, leading to more severe fire behavior.
Despite Newfoundland and Labrador typically experiencing fewer than 100 wildfires per season in the past five years, this year has seen 216 wildfires already. Trudeau emphasized that while climate change doesn’t directly cause fires, it intensifies conditions, fostering extreme fire behavior and uncontrollable blazes.
MacKenzie advised the public on preventative measures to reduce fire risks at home, such as keeping eavestroughs clear and maintaining lawns to prevent combustible debris. However, he acknowledged that the current wildfire circumstances are abnormal and may require significant rainfall to quell the events.