Major historical wildfires in Canada
Browse selected major Canadian wildfires documented by provincial and territorial wildfire authorities. Each page identifies its source and keeps official historical reporting separate from FireRadar's daily archive.
A fire appears here only when an authoritative source provides enough information to identify the event. FireRadar does not fill in missing facts.
Official ID: N71058
BC Wildfire Service lists Argenta Creek (N71058) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: N51065
BC Wildfire Service lists Aylwin Creek (N51065) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K61067
BC Wildfire Service lists Calcite Creek (K61067) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R90740
BC Wildfire Service lists Hook Creek (R90740) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R50752
BC Wildfire Service lists Little Oliver Creek (R50752) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G90228
BC Wildfire Service lists Nogah Creek (G90228) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G90267
BC Wildfire Service lists Parker Lake (G90267) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G90207
BC Wildfire Service lists Patry Creek (G90207) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K70910
BC Wildfire Service lists Shetland Creek (K70910) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K41109
BC Wildfire Service lists Sitkum Creek (K41109) in its 2024 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 23,379 ha
Nova Scotia's after-action reporting identifies the Barrington Lake wildfire as the largest fire in recorded Nova Scotia history at 23,379 hectares. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Official ID: G60666
BC Wildfire Service lists Big Creek (G60666) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 45,613.0 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports Bush Creek East (K21633) at 45,613 hectares, discovered July 12, 2023 and naturally caused. The Lower East Adams Lake fire later merged with Bush Creek East within the Adams Complex.
Official ID: V70600
BC Wildfire Service lists Cameron Bluffs (V70600) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K71535
BC Wildfire Service lists Casper Creek (K71535) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: V10588
BC Wildfire Service lists Chehalis River (V10588) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K52125
BC Wildfire Service lists Crater Creek (K52125) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41493
BC Wildfire Service lists Davidson Creek (G41493) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: V11152
BC Wildfire Service lists Davis Lake (V11152) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: VA1335
BC Wildfire Service lists Dean River (VA1335) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 619,072.5 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Donnie Creek wildfire (G80280) at 619,072.5 hectares, discovered May 12, 2023 and naturally caused in the Province's 2023 season table.
Official ID: K71649
BC Wildfire Service lists Downton Lake (K71649) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K52318
BC Wildfire Service lists Eagle Bluff (K52318) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41195
BC Wildfire Service lists Finger Lake (G41195) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 481,991 ha
SOPFEU's official 2023 season review identifies Fire No. 344 near Lebel-sur-Quévillon as the largest single fire in its reported 2023 series at 481,991 hectares. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Official ID: G41158
BC Wildfire Service lists Gatcho Lake (G41158) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K53294
BC Wildfire Service lists Glen Lake (K53294) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G51279
BC Wildfire Service lists Great Beaver Lake (G51279) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41511
BC Wildfire Service lists Greer Creek (G41511) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: C52978
BC Wildfire Service lists Hell Raving Creek (C52978) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: N22243
BC Wildfire Service lists Horsethief Creek (N22243) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G50872
BC Wildfire Service lists Klawli Lake (G50872) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: V11337
BC Wildfire Service lists Kookipi Creek (V11337) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: N12046
BC Wildfire Service lists Lladnar Creek (N12046) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41380
BC Wildfire Service lists Lucas Lake (G41380) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 13,970.4 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the McDougall Creek wildfire (K52767) at 13,970.4 hectares, discovered August 15, 2023 with cause listed as undetermined in the season table.
Official ID: G60853
BC Wildfire Service lists Nation River (G60853) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R31465
BC Wildfire Service lists Nilkitkwa (R31465) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41422
BC Wildfire Service lists Nithi Mountain (G41422) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41502
BC Wildfire Service lists North Lucas Lake (G41502) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R21234
BC Wildfire Service lists Parrot Lookout (R21234) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R21178
BC Wildfire Service lists Peacock Creek (R21178) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G70644
BC Wildfire Service lists Peavine Creek (G70644) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: C11437
BC Wildfire Service lists Pelican Lake (C11437) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R31228
BC Wildfire Service lists Powers Creek (R31228) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K22024
BC Wildfire Service lists Rossmoore Lake (K22024) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R11247
BC Wildfire Service lists Sheraton Creek (R11247) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: SS052-23
The GNWT's independent-review program identifies SS052-23, the Enterprise/Hay River fire, as one of the two incidents selected for detailed operational review. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Official ID: N11805
BC Wildfire Service lists St. Mary's River (N11805) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K71634
BC Wildfire Service lists Stein Mountain (K71634) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41208
BC Wildfire Service lists Tatin Lake (G41208) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41307
BC Wildfire Service lists Tatuk Lake (G41307) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: C11499
BC Wildfire Service lists Teepee Lake (C11499) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: R11244
BC Wildfire Service lists Tintagel (R11244) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: C11290
BC Wildfire Service lists Townsend Creek (C11290) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G41149
BC Wildfire Service lists Tsah Creek (G41149) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: K52813
BC Wildfire Service lists Upper Park Rill Creek (K52813) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 969 ha
Nova Scotia's after-action reporting identifies the Upper Tantallon/Hammonds Plains wildfire as one of the two defining interface fires of the province's record 2023 season, reporting 969 hectares burned. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Official ID: G70645
BC Wildfire Service lists West Kiskatinaw River (G70645) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: G51564
BC Wildfire Service lists Whitefish Lake (G51564) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: VA1735
BC Wildfire Service lists Young Creek (VA1735) in its 2023 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Official ID: ZF015-23
The GNWT's independent-review program identifies ZF015-23, the Behchokǫ̀/Yellowknife fire, as one of the two incidents selected for detailed operational review. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Reported area: 83,671 ha
BC Wildfire Service lists the Lytton Creek wildfire (K71086) as an 83,671-hectare Wildfire of Note discovered on June 30, 2021. FireRadar preserves the Province's historical incident record rather than reconstructing the event from modern map observations.
Reported area: 95,980 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Sparks Lake wildfire (K21001) at 95,980 hectares, discovered June 28, 2021 and listed as human-caused in the Province's 2021 Wildfires of Note table.
Reported area: 83,342 ha
BC Wildfire Service lists the White Rock Lake wildfire (K61884) at 83,342 hectares, discovered July 13, 2021 and recorded as naturally caused in the 2021 Wildfires of Note table.
Reported area: 2,122.5 ha
BC Wildfire Service lists Christie Mountain (K51287) as a 2,122.5-hectare Wildfire of Note discovered August 18, 2020 with cause undetermined.
Source-backed historical record
Alberta's commissioned 2019 Spring Wildfire Review specifically examines the Battle Complex in the Peace River Forest Area. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
Alberta's commissioned 2019 Spring Wildfire Review specifically examines the Chuckegg Creek wildfire in the High Level Forest Area. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
Alberta's commissioned 2019 Spring Wildfire Review specifically examines the McMillan Complex in the Slave Lake Forest Area. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Blazed Creek in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Bulldog Mountain in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Cool Creek in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Cross River in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Mabel Creek in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Meachen Creek in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Mount Conkle in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 221 ha
Ontario's annual reporting lists North Bay 69 among the notable 2018 suppression incidents and reports a size of 221 hectares near Temagami. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Reported area: 27,285 ha
Ontario's annual reporting lists North Bay 72 among the notable 2018 fires and reports a size of 27,285 hectares west of Temiskaming Shores. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Reported area: 11,362 ha
Ontario's annual reporting identifies Parry Sound 33 as the highest-profile fire of 2018 and reports a final size of 11,362 hectares. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Placer Mountain in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Source-backed historical record
BC Wildfire Service lists Snowy Mountain in its 2018 season report. Details not stated in that report are left blank.
Reported area: 191,865 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Elephant Hill wildfire at 191,865 hectares, extending from near Ashcroft toward the Highway 24 area after being discovered July 6, 2017.
Reported area: 241,160 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Hanceville Complex around Hanceville, Riske Creek and Alexis Creek at a combined 241,160 hectares during the 2017 season.
Reported area: 545,151 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports that the Plateau Complex on the Chilcotin Plateau covered a combined 545,151 hectares after nearly 20 separate fires merged.
Source-backed historical record
Alberta's official wildfire review archive documents the Horse River wildfire as the defining Fort McMurray event of 2016. Details not stated by the source are left blank.
Reported area: 133,098 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the 2014 Chelaslie River wildfire at 133,098 hectares, including sections of Entiako Provincial Park, with evacuation alerts and orders associated with the event.
Reported area: 26,273 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Mount McAllister wildfire at 26,273 hectares, about 56 kilometres west of Chetwynd, and records evacuation impacts including Hudson's Hope.
Reported area: 40,000 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports that the Binta Lake wildfire south of Burns Lake reached a final size of 40,000 hectares and was the largest single blaze of the 2010 B.C. season.
Reported area: 20,925 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the Kelly Creek wildfire in Edgehills Provincial Park at 20,925 hectares, with evacuation orders and alerts and two structures lost during the blaze.
Reported area: 66,719 ha
BC Wildfire Service identifies Lava Canyon in the Chilcotin as the largest wildfire of the 2009 B.C. season at 66,719 hectares, with evacuation orders and alerts.
Reported area: 26,420 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the McLure wildfire at a final size of 26,420 hectares and documents evacuations and losses affecting McLure, Barriere and Louis Creek.
Reported area: 25,600 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports a final size of 25,600 hectares for the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire and documents major evacuations and residential losses in the Kelowna and Naramata area.
Reported area: >6,000 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports that the 1998 Salmon Arm wildfire burned more than 6,000 hectares, caused approximately 7,000 evacuations and destroyed 40 buildings.
Reported area: >5,500 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports that the 1994 Penticton wildfire, also known as the Garnet fire, burned more than 5,500 hectares, prompted more than 3,500 evacuations and resulted in 18 homes and structures lost.
Reported area: 18,208 ha
BC Wildfire Service reports the 1983 Swiss wildfire south of Houston at a final size of 18,208 hectares after rapid growth during dry and windy conditions.