As climate change drives more extreme wildfires, are smoky summer days the new norm?

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published July 20, 2026 at 12:12 PM EDT

Light reflects off the water as the sun sets through wildfire smoke over Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, July 17, 2026. (Andy Bao/AP)

Scientists say human-caused climate change is driving longer fire seasons across drier landscapes, sparking more intense and widespread forest fires.

In Canada, home to more than a quarter of the world’s vast boreal forests, wildfires in remote regions are often left to burn.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Dr. Anabela Bonada, managing director of climate science at the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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