Kevin Kriese

Mark Zacharias

As Canadians bristle at President Donald Trump’s recent threats of tariffs to compensate for wildfire smoke impacts, it is important to consider what more Canada can do. Although Trump’s characterization of Canadian forest management is inaccurate, the broader point is worth considering—wildfire smoke is worsening, and Canada’s current approaches are falling behind. …What does rethinking boreal wildfire look like? First, we can change how our forests are managed to reduce the amount and severity of wildfires over the long term. …the targeted use of Indigenous and prescribed fire can reduce the size and severity of future fires. …Second, Canada must embrace emerging technologies that improve ignition forecasting, early detection and rapid response to supplement traditional wildfire response. …Finally, Canada must shift from thinking about the boreal forest as a wildfire problem to a carbon emissions opportunity to cost effectively reduce both Canadian and global carbon emissions.