As of mid-August, the 2025 fire season is shaping up to be Canada’s second-worst on record. Since the spring, headlines across the country have consistently highlighted a community ordered to evacuate, a new fire sparking somewhere, or unique resource-sharing situations for fire management. Enter the newly-created Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada. As a beacon of boundary-breaking hope, the WRCC aims to create a transformative approach to wildfire management, bringing together the front line, researchers, industry experts, the forest products sector, Indigenous Peoples and governments. “It’s a purpose-built not-for-profit that was designed to transform wildfire resilience across Canada, really focusing on a ‘whole of society’ approach,” says Kelsey Winter of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and Board Chair of the WRCC. …As part of breaking down boundaries between the different stakeholders involved in wildfire management, the WRCC has divided the country into six zones representing the different types of forest ecosystems that experience fire.
Early last September, firefighters were in the final stages of containing a 33,000-hectare wildfire complex in Alberta’s Jasper National Park. Elsewhere, park workers were already replanting the first batch of trees in the recently scorched earth. The Douglas firs were chosen because they resist fire better than other conifers, according to Marcia DeWandel, vegetation restoration specialist for Parks Canada. However, replanting so soon after a fire is much more exception than rule. Replanting is typically expensive, time consuming, labour intensive — and doesn’t always work. …In most cases, it can take years for replanting to begin after a fire. …”It’s actually really important not to speed and just go right after a fire,” says Jess Kaknevicius, CEO of Forests Canada, one of the organizations supporting Ogoki’s replanting. …In some replanted areas, ensuring survival is easier said than done, especially when dealing with other effects of climate change. 
CALGARY, Alberta — Wildfire season is in full effect across much of Canada, and Canadians are facing significant impacts. …Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Tim Hodgson, announced $45.7 million in funding for 30 projects across Canada through Natural Resources Canada’s Build and Mobilize Foundational Wildland Fire Knowledge program. These projects are driving research focused on protecting Canadians from the growing threat of wildfires, strengthening wildfire risk assessments and improving mitigation and adaptive forestry practices. We are also helping Indigenous communities access the tools needed to lead on wildfire readiness in their communities and backing Indigenous-led projects that support fire stewardship.
TORONTO — Canada’s 2025 wildfire season is now the second-worst on record. The latest figures posted by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre suggest the fires have torn through 72,000 square kilometres, an area roughly the size of New Brunswick.That surpasses the next worst season in 1989 and is about half the area burned during the record-setting 2023 season, according to a federal database of wildfire seasons dating back to 1972. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, has made Canada’s fire season longer and more intense, scientists say. The last three fire seasons are all in the 10 worst on record. “We really need to do a lot more to manage our forest, to reduce the impact of climate change and better prepare the communities that are at risk,” said Anabela Bonada, managing director of climate science at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo.
With wildfires forcing evacuations from Vancouver Island on the Pacific Coast to Newfoundland in the North Atlantic, Canadian officials were mustering additional resources on Thursday to help provinces cope with the blazes and the disruption. Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s emergency management minister, announced on social media Thursday morning that the armed forces and the Coast Guard would assist the island province of Newfoundland in fighting blazes. Three out-of-control fires forced the evacuation of 900 people in the province on Thursday. Some provinces have moved this week to limit activities like hiking that could spark additional blazes, with forecasts indicating it is unlikely that sufficient rain would fall in regions plagued by out-of-control fires. Canada’s national fire threat level has been at 5, the highest danger rating, since late May. About 7.1 million hectares, or 27,000 square miles, of forest have burned so far this season in the country. [to access the full story a NY Times subscription is required]
The number of trees planted in British Columbia is set to decline for a third year in a row, falling a combined 135 million seedlings short of a B.C. government’s election promise to increase planting amid a string of devastating wildfire seasons. In B.C., the logging industry is legally required to reforest after harvesting. But as harvest levels have dropped, so too has tree planting. The province planted 281 million tree seedlings in 2024. But by the end of the 2025 season, that number is expected to drop to 238 million, according to the Ministry of Forests. By the end of 2026, projections from the Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) suggest the number could fall even further to 226 million — far short of the 300 million trees promised by the NDP government in the last election.
Ottawa is offering $45.7 million for projects in B.C. and across Canada that advance knowledge about wildfires. The projects will be focused on protecting Canadians from the growing threat of wildfires, strengthening wildfire risk assessments, and improving mitigation and adaptive forestry practices. …The Vancouver-based Métis Wildfire Community Research Initiative is among the funding recipients. “Our approach is different because we are building strong relationships with local people.” said Joe Desjarlais, Director of Research for the B.C. Metis Foundation. “We’re training them to do wildfire research, to recover their own knowledge for their own benefit, to give them a voice.” …Natural Resources Canada said annual national costs for fighting wildland fire total over $1 billion. It says fire-suppression costs could double by 2040.
CNC’s Applied Research team received a $170,775 Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grant through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for the creation of a state-of-the-art remote sensing lab. …The grant allows for the acquisition of terrestrial LiDAR scanners, allowing researchers to capture, analyze and better understand individual tree characteristics, forest structure, and wildfire hazards, among other forest attributes. CNC research fellow Dr. Pablo Crespell will lead research activities related to remote sensing lab purchases and operation, including drones, LiDAR sensors and scanners, multispectral sensors, software applications, and computer hardware. Grant funds will also be used to support the costs of relevant training for CNC research staff, such as drone pilot training and new analysis approaches.
…as climate change fuels more frequent and intense wildfires, governments can reduce the damage and protect lives with proactive, targeted actions. That means strengthening policies that guide where and how we build, investing in land and fuel-management strategies, supporting Indigenous leadership and stewardship, expanding emergency-response capacity and accelerating emissions reduction. The solutions are within reach, but they require governments to lead with urgency, coordination and commitment. …Here are five key actions governments can take to reduce wildfire risk — noting that no single strategy can solve the problem by itself: Stop encouraging building in harm’s way; Make new development fire-resilient; Manage forests and reduce wildfire fuel; Strengthen firefighting capacity; and Cut carbon pollution to avoid runaway risk. Governments at all levels face a clear choice: continue with business as usual and see fire seasons grow worse or take bold action to reduce risk, protect people and ensure public resources are spent wisely.
The human side of forestry is often overlooked but always present. Seeing the forest for the trees in this case means connecting the dots between the many ways that people interact with, benefit from and shape natural spaces, and the consequences these activities are having on everything from environmental sustainability to community wellbeing. In this issue, we delve into the social sciences of forestry, highlighting how the academic work, career paths and actions taken by our UBC Forestry community are shaping the future for the sake of humans and the planet.
SMITHERS – The Forest Practices Board has released the results of its investigation into a complaint about logging in the Lemieux and Gardner Creek watersheds, 30 kilometres southeast of Smithers. A resident alleged that over-harvesting had dried up creeks and wells, and that logging proceeded without proper public consultation. Board investigators examined recent harvesting, road construction and maintenance by three licence holders: BC Timber Sales (BCTS), Kyah Development Corporation (KDC) and the holder of woodlot licence W0104. Investigators assessed whether licensees met legal requirements for water management and public review. All three licensees complied with requirements for public review. BCTS and KDC exceeded requirements by voluntarily sharing operational-planning information with stakeholders. BCTS and KDC also met all water- management requirements.
Castlegar sawmill and mass timber producer Kalesnikoff Lumber received a mention from Prime Minister Mark Carney on Aug. 5 during a visit to Kelowna. Carney was talking about his government’s Build Canada Homes initiative when he brought up Kalesnikoff’s innovations. The Build Canada Homes program prioritizes domestic materials in construction and requires companies contracting with the federal government to source Canadian lumber. It also calls for the use of Canadian technologies and resources in off-site construction of prefabricated and modular homes. “One example of the possibilities, just a few hours drive from here in Castlegar, Kalesnikoff Mass Timber recently opened its 100,000-square-foot mass timber prefabrication and modular facility – the first of its kind in North America,” said Carney. “They’re adding new products and services, including prefabricated wall panels, mass timber modules, and trusses designed and manufactured for construction efficiency.”
One of Revelstoke’s most popular mountains for Nordic skiing and cycling has reappeared on the map for B.C.’s lumber licensee, raising questions of how recreationists’ favourite routes could be impacted. Within the last year, BC Timber Sales (BCTS) issued a Forestry Operations Map outlining plans for Mount MacPherson, home to the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club (RNSC) and various Revelstoke Cycling Association trails. Currently, several dozen hectares in the Wetask-Mt. MacPherson area are licensed for cut blocks, while several hectares more are mapped for retention areas and roads. …Operations are indicated to run until 2027, and all six cut block licenses have a planned development date of last Jan. 15. In a statement the Ministry of Forests said one of its recent licences was auctioned last spring and will be harvested this fall or winter. Another licence currently sits in the development stage, slated for auction next summer.
Worsening dry conditions across New Brunswick — which sparked a provincewide burn ban and led this week to an uncontrolled wildfire near Miramichi — have prompted the provincial government to impose restrictions on some industrial activities in forested areas. The Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Friday that some forestry operations would be banned for the next several days given the high risk of another wildfire. …From midnight on Aug. 8 to midnight on Aug. 12, harvesting, forwarding, skidding, scarification, chipping and all pre-commercial thinning and cleaning are all banned. That restriction applies to all forestry on both Crown and private lands. Trucking, road construction and maintenance, vegetation management and tree planting are allowed to continue. …Except for the possibility of a shower Saturday afternoon in northern New Brunswick, the province could see at least six more days of dry, hot weather, according to Environment Canada forecasts.
MIRAMICHI, New Brunswick — In response to the increased wildfire risk, some forestry operations in New Brunswick will be restricted over the next couple of days. A release from the province’s Department of Natural Resources says the move is to protect both the forests and people living in the province. On Friday, the natural resources minister said in the release the restrictions will be on both Crown and private lands. “These measures will help protect our forests, animals, natural habitats and our communities, as well as our wildland fire crews,” John Herron said. As of midnight Friday, harvesting, forwarding, skidding, scarification, chipping and all pre-commercial thinning and cleaning are restricted until Tuesday. However, trucking, road construction and maintenance, vegetation management and tree planting are still getting the green light. These restrictions apply to all forested lands in the province, both private and Crown.
The Trump administration wants to scrap a rule that protects tens of millions of acres of national forest from road-building and large-scale logging—but its zeal to log will face a reality check from government downsizing, possible litigation, and even a soft timber market. The US Forest Service is grappling with budget cuts and staffing shortages. At the same time, environmental groups are already gearing up for legal battles, arguing the so-called Roadless Rule safeguards endangered species, clean water, and biodiversity. “The administration can sprint and rescind the Roadless Rule, but then what?” said Murray Feldman, at Holland & Hart LLP in Boise. “It seems like a moonshot to try to reverse decades of national forest management plans by revoking one specific set of rules. But we’ll see.” …The Forest Service hasn’t taken any official steps to rescind the Roadless Rule since Rollins’ announcement in June. 
On the two-year anniversary of the deadly wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, the Arbor Day Foundation launched its effort to help replant lost tree canopy. The Foundation distributed more than 580 trees alongside its local planting partner The Outdoor Circle, in collaboration with Treecovery Hawaii and The Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows.“Recovery from a wildfire of this scale can take years, but the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to being here for the long haul. We’re proud to work alongside the passionate advocates at The Outdoor Circle to help regrow a flourishing community canopy,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We know trees won’t replace all of what’s been lost in Lahaina, but they can help grow new roots of resilience and nurture hope for the future.”
Despite attempts to save it, the longstanding Pixelle Specialty Solutions in Chillicothe closed its doors permanently on Sunday. The southern Ohio paper mill announced its planned closure in April after nearly 200 years of operating in Ross County. Local leaders and state representatives alike pushed to delay its shuttering, but ultimately the company ceased production this weekend. Not only did the paper mill employ more than 800 people, it fed a larger industry in the state. Executive director of the Ohio Forestry Association Jenna Reese said the mill’s closure will hurt Ohio loggers. “This is gonna have ripple effects throughout the state,” she said. “We’re unfortunately anticipating attrition.” With nearly 8 million acres of forest in Ohio, logging is a major industry. It contributes $1.1 billion to the state economy annually, according to Reese. Forest products, more broadly, make up more than a quarter of Ohio’s agricultural industry, which tops the state.
Every spring, Forest Service fire leaders meet to plan for the upcoming fire season. This year, some employees were shocked by the blunt remarks made during a meeting with forest supervisors and fire staff officers from across the Intermountain West. “We were told, ‘Help is not on the way,’” said one employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job. “I’ve never been told that before.” Agency leaders already knew it might be a bad wildfire season, made worse by having fewer hands available to help out. According to the employee High Country News spoke to, the Forest Service lost at least 1,800 fire-qualified, or “red-carded,” employees through layoffs, deferred resignation, and retirement offers. In total, 4,800 people left the agency. “We were told: Don’t commit to an attack thinking the cavalry is going to come,” the employee said. As fire activity continues to pick up across much of the West, that warning rings true. [a free subscription is required to read the original article, 
Western Apache fire management once reshaped Arizona’s forests — and tree rings prove it. A new study combining tree-ring evidence and historical data shows that for centuries, Western Apache communities systematically controlled fire activity across their homeland, reducing the role of climate in driving wildfires. Led by Southern Methodist University fire scientist Christopher Roos, the research analyzed 649 fire-scarred trees from 34 sites in central and eastern Arizona and compared them to several thousand samples from the broader Southwest. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that Apache burns were more frequent, smaller, and timed differently than fires elsewhere in the region. Scientists found that in Apache territory, fires often occurred in late April and May — months when community members were engaged in subsistence activities in pine forests.
Cole Lindsay, the Oregon Department of Forestry aviation coordinator, said firefighters would typically have to hike into the dark canyon to check for new fires — a time-consuming and potentially dangerous task on a wildfire that had already roared to 23,890 acres in Wheeler County. But technology has advanced. Instead of sending people, Lindsay sent a drone equipped with an infrared camera to sweep across the canyon. “The cameras and sensors are so good that it would have seen something way before the human eye,” Lindsay said. …The Oregon Department of Forestry has 29 pilots. In 2024, ODF and its contractors flew 482 drone missions, 364 of which were for fire purposes. Out of 136 hours of flight time, 98.5 hours were on fire missions. So far in 2025, ODF, excluding its contractors, have flown 41 missions totaling 14 hours. Out of those 14 hours, 7.9 hours were for fire purposes. 
WASHINGTON STATE — Washington’s rural counties and school districts are preparing to start the school year without millions of dollars from a program meant to offset reduced revenue from logging on federal lands. The Secure Rural Schools program expired at the end of 2023 after Congress failed to renew it. Democratic and Republican lawmakers, along with local officials, are pushing US House leadership to bring a bill renewing the program to the floor. The lapsed program helps pay for roads and schools, providing $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states since it was enacted in 2000. …Counties and schools have received logging revenue from the federal government for roads and schools since 1906. Federal law currently mandates that all counties annually receive 25% of the seven-year average of revenue generated by that county’s forests. 
Near the bottom of a shady hillside in Jericho, a lone beech tree stretches high into the canopy, a relic of a bygone forest. Through luck or (hopefully) genetics, this mighty tree has avoided contracting beech bark disease—a fatal fungal pathogen that has proven deadly to mature beech trees. And it stands just outside a hotspot where a new pathogen called beech leaf disease (BLD) is spreading across Vermont forests. “Beech is here a lot as a sapling … but if you look out into the forest it’s not really common in the overstory,” said Jess Wikle Ph.D. ’24, lecturer in forestry and manager of the University of Vermont’s Research Forests. The beech trees that do succumb often send out a series of root sprouts before they die, turning a forest of big trees into a thicket of saplings. Beech leaf disease is different. It seems to be spreading faster and young beech trees tend to die first.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a ruling on suspending logging to protect bird nesting sites in Estonia. However, the Ministry of Climate and forestry industry representatives interpret the ruling in opposing ways, each claiming their stance is the right one. The final decision on the matter is set to be made in the autumn by the Estonian Supreme Court, which should clarify whether current practices will be changed or not. Head of the Ministry of Climate’s Biodiversity Protection Department, Timo Kark, said overall the ECJ considered the suspension of logging to be justified. “In the opinion of the European Court, the birds directive must be interpreted such that its provisions apply to all bird species, including those that are not protected. So any activity that may result in birds being killed, such as logging during the spring-summer nesting period, can be suspended,” Kark said.
The First Minister has today opened a new £26 million facility to help grow more trees for Scotland’s forests and woodlands. Newton Tree Nursery, near Elgin, will support Forestry and Land Scotland to almost treble their tree production – from seven million to nearly 20 million trees per year by 2029. It will help support the sustainable management of Scotland’s national forests and land and help tackle the climate emergency, while also supporting the rural economy. Seedling operations at the redeveloped tree nursery began in March 2025 and 12 million trees have already been established within the glasshouse. The new nursery is the UK’s largest and most advanced tree-growing glasshouse and sets a new standard for bio secure, sustainable, and high-volume forest nursery production. The facility ensures that an adequate supply of high-quality trees is available to supply the publicly managed forests of Scotland with those forests supporting rural economies, providing flood mitigation, improving biodiversity and sequestering carbon.