Right now, you might look out your window at a snow-covered yard and think the wildfire crisis is a summer problem. You'd be wrong.
It’s January 2026. The air is crisp, the lakes are frozen, and yet, deep beneath the feet of hikers in British Columbia and Alberta, the ground is literally cooking. If you’re asking are the canadian fires still burning, the short answer is a quiet, haunting yes. They aren't the towering infernos we saw on the news last August, but they haven't gone away. They’ve just gone underground.
The monster in the basement
Scientists call them "zombie fires." It sounds like a low-budget horror flick, but for folks in the Prince George Fire Centre, it’s just Tuesday. These fires smoulder in the thick, carbon-rich peat moss—the "duff" layer—that carpets the boreal forest floor.
Snow is actually a terrible enemy here. It acts like a giant, fluffy down comforter. It insulates the heat, protecting the glowing embers from the sub-zero Canadian winter. While we’re up here skiing, the fire is down there eating. It’s a slow-motion disaster.
According to latest data from the BC Wildfire Service, there are about 20 active wildfires in British Columbia as of mid-January. Every single one of them is currently "under control," but that term is kinda deceptive. It doesn't mean the fire is out. It means they’ve drawn a line in the sand (or snow) and the fire isn't expected to jump it. But the heat is still there.
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To understand why this is happening, you’ve gotta look at the sheer scale of what happened in 2025. Last year was a beast. We saw over 8.8 million hectares go up in smoke. To put that in perspective, that’s an area larger than the entire country of Austria.
When you have that much fire, it doesn't just "stop" because the calendar flipped to November.
Where the smoke is coming from
If you see a plume of white "steam" rising from a snowy forest in the Northeast, don't assume it’s a cozy cabin. It’s often a vent for a holdover fire.
- British Columbia: The Prince George region is the current hotspot for these overwintering ghosts.
- Alberta: Dry patches along the BC border are still seeing underground activity.
- Saskatchewan: While mostly quiet, the massive burn scars from the 2025 season (where nearly 2.9 million hectares burned) still hold deep heat pockets.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a nightmare for the pilots. They fly over with thermal imaging cameras, looking for "hot spots" that look like bright neon zits on their screens. If they don't find them now, those zits turn into full-blown infections come May.
The "triple-year" fire
This is where it gets really weird. We aren't just dealing with 2025 fires anymore. Some of the fires currently burning in the Prince George region actually started in 2023. Think about that. A fire that has survived two full Canadian winters.
Mike Flannigan, a wildland fire expert at Thompson Rivers University, has been pretty vocal about this. We are in "uncharted territory." Usually, a good wet spring douses the leftovers. But Canada has been trapped in a multi-year drought that has turned the forest floor into a giant brick of charcoal.
Why 2026 feels different
The 2025 season was the second-worst on record, trailing only the "Summer of Smoke" in 2023. But the 2026 outlook is looking a bit more hopeful, thanks to a weak La Niña.
Historically, La Niña brings cooler, wetter conditions to Western Canada. We’re already seeing some of that. Precipitation in many parts of the country exceeded normal levels in the tail end of 2025, which has finally started to take a bite out of the long-term drought.
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But don't pop the champagne yet.
The ground is still thirsty. Deep soil moisture takes years, not months, to recover. Even if it’s a wet winter, the "zombie" fires are protected by their peat blankets. All it takes is a warm, windy week in April—what we call "spring dip"—for those underground embers to catch a breeze and sprint across the dry surface grass before the trees have even budded.
The human cost
It’s easy to talk about hectares and satellite pings, but people are tired. In 2025, over 85,000 Canadians had to pack their lives into suitcases and flee. Two people lost their lives in Lac du Bonnet.
When a fire burns for three years, the mental toll is heavy. You never feel "safe" just because it’s snowing. You’re always waiting for the smoke to return.
Actionable steps for the 2026 season
If you live in or near a forested area, "waiting and seeing" is a bad strategy. The 2026 season officially starts in just a few weeks in the Prairies. Here is what you actually need to do:
- Check the overwinter maps. Use the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) interactive maps. Don't just look for "active" fires; look for "holdover" status in your region.
- FireSmart your property now. Don't wait for the first smoke smell. Clear the "Zone 1"—the 1.5-meter perimeter around your house—of all dead leaves, pine needles, and mulch. If a zombie fire pops up nearby, it’s the embers landing in your gutters that will burn your house down, not the wall of flame.
- Update your "Go Bag." If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that evacuation orders happen fast. Have your documents, meds, and a week’s worth of pet food ready.
- Monitor air quality. Even if there isn't a fire in your backyard, the 2026 smoke will likely travel. Buy your N95 masks and HEPA filters now. Every time a major season starts, these things sell out faster than concert tickets.
The fires are still there. They’re just waiting. Being aware of the "zombie" threat isn't about being scared; it's about not being surprised when the snow melts and the ground starts smoking again. Stay vigilant, watch the provincial updates, and keep your gutters clean.