As we witness yet another historic wildfire, this time raging across Los Angeles, we stand in solidarity with the communities impacted during this heartbreaking time.
The devastation is a stark reminder that wildfires are not just an environmental issue; they highlight broader issues that affect us all. These fires show how the climate crisis is tied to so many other challenges, such as public health, inequality and loss of nature.
These wildfires call on us to come together and serve as a reminder that when we work to solve the climate crisis, we build a better future for all.
Yes, wildfires are a climate issue.
Scientific evidence shows that climate change — fuelled by burning coal, oil, and gas — is making wildfires bigger, hotter and more frequent.
Climate change has increased “whiplash conditions” (rapid swings between dry and wet conditions that increase the risk and severity of wildfires) globally by 31 per cent to 66 per cent since the mid-20th Century.[1] These conditions set the stage for the deadly fires still burning in LA, and are projected to increase the risk of deadly wildfires here in Canada.
Wildfires also contribute to the climate crisis further. In 2023, Canadian wildfires released more carbon emissions than the annual burning of fossil fuels in all but three countries.[2]
Together, we must build a future that is safer for people and the planet by moving away from fossil fuels.
Tell your MP to tackle carbon emissions now by banning thermal coal, regulating fossil fuel funding, and rejecting new coal, oil, and gas projects.
But wildfires are more than just a climate issue. The harm they cause is interconnected and exacerbates existing environmental issues and inequality.
Wildfires are a public health issue.
Wildfire smoke is not just an environmental hazard — it’s a direct threat to public health. According to the World Health Organization, wildfire smoke is linked to premature deaths, can cause or worsen many illnesses, and lead to cognitive impairment and memory loss. Wildfires can also have a tremendous impact on mental health, increasing risks of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.[3] Firefighters and emergency response workers are also greatly impacted by injuries, burns, and smoke inhalation.
Tackling climate change will protect public health and safety.
Wildfires are a nature and biodiversity issue.
Wildfires decimate ecosystems, destroy habitats, release carbon dioxide, degrade air and water quality, and erode soils. They disrupt natural processes, including fire cycles and ecosystem services like water regulation. These cascading effects create a feedback loop of environmental damage.
We must call for urgent action to protect the planet and all of its inhabitants.
Wildfires are a justice issue.
Wildfires disproportionately impact historically and systemically marginalized communities, especially racialized and Indigenous communities — who often bear the brunt of ecological disasters and face higher risks due to inequalities in resources, housing, and access to recovery. The destruction caused by wildfires exacerbates pre-existing social and economic disparities, perpetuating cycles of inequality.[4]
Wealth also dictates who suffers most. While LA burns, celebrity mansions are making the headlines. What often doesn’t make the news are the millions of everyday Angelenos, including lower-income communities, farmworkers, the elderly, and unhoused individuals, who are often disproportionately impacted by climate emergencies.
We need to ask ourselves: whose stories are being told, whose communities are we protecting, and who is on the frontlines?
Wildfires are an Indigenous Sovereignty issue.
We must acknowledge that the wildfires in Los Angeles are occurring on Indigenous lands, much like those that have raged across Canada in recent years. Indigenous Peoples in California historically carried out controlled burns as a sustainable practice to manage wildfires, allowing fire-resistant species to grow. This practice was outlawed in 1850.[5]
Indigenous knowledge and stewardship are essential to addressing the climate crisis and mitigating its impact on ecosystems and communities.
Wildfires are an economic issue.
Failing to address climate change is costing us — from rebuilding after climate disasters, to higher insurance premiums for our homes, to rising grocery prices due to supply chain disruptions. Life is expensive, and the climate crisis is making it worse.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates that the 2024 Jasper wildfire caused nearly a billion dollars in insured losses,[6] and 2024 was the most expensive year on record in terms of insurance payouts (with a whopping $8.55 billion in total payouts).[7]
If our politicians fail to act decisively to stop the climate crisis, build a more stable economy, and safer world — it will cost us all.
It’s no secret: We know who is to blame.
These climate-fuelled wildfires are not natural, and what we’re facing is not normal.
The scale and severity of these climate disasters are fuelled by political decisions and deliberate choices by our leaders and perpetuated by the fossil fuel industry’s climate denial and choices to put profit over people and the planet. For example, last year, the LA City Council cut the LA Fire Department’s funding by $17.6 million[8] even as the city faced unprecedented fire seasons. While adaptation and preparation for climate emergencies is important, addressing climate change to mitigate these emergencies is even more important. For example, in 2023 for the first time, CO2 emissions produced from Canada’s fossil fuel exports surpassed a billion tonnes.[9] These skyrocketing emissions will fuel future climate disasters.
While California is burning, wildfires are also raging across the globe — from the Central African Republic to the DRC, Ghana, South Sudan, and Australia.[10]
How many more communities need to burn before our leaders take decisive action to stop fuelling this crisis?
Take action
We have the power to demand change.
Politicians could act to slash carbon emissions and put us on the path to a safer future. But they’ll only do it if the public demands it.
In a time of increased political uncertainty, it’s important political leaders do not lose sight of protecting public health and safety and the environment.
Help build a better, safer future for all.
Tell your MP to tackle carbon emissions now by banning thermal coal, regulating fossil fuel funding, and rejecting new coal, oil, and gas projects.
References
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ewe4p9128o
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07878-z
[3] https://www.who.int/health-topics/wildfires#tab=tab_1
[4] https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/environmental-racism-and-climate-change/
[6] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/jasper-wildfire-ninth-most-expensive-1.7306622
[7] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/insurance-rates-2025-spike-climate-canada-1.7430472