North American Wildfires Do Not Stop at Canada

In late August and early September of 2020, a series of unprecedented wildfires have ravaged the West Coast, with almost 50 active wildfires currently in the state of Oregon alone. The fires have killed 33 so far, destroyed 5 million acres of forest, forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, and left hundreds of thousands without power. Amid this catastrophe, images have circulated social media suggesting that the destruction being experienced by the US West Coast is not being experienced by the Canadian West Coast. The claim that no wildfires have affected Canada this year has gone viral, and is leading some to wonder what the difference between these bordering nations might be.