Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a satellite view of smoke from fires burning in Manitoba, Canada on July 9, 2025. 

Manitoba is facing its most severe wildfire season on record – driven by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds.

By mid‑May, five fires in Manitoba were already classified as out of control, including one north of Whiteshell Provincial Park that rapidly consumed more than 100,000 hectares.

A record‑breaking heat wave around May 13, which was the hottest day Winnipeg has seen in 125 years, further accelerated the spread of the fires.

“Large fires have burned in Canada’s Manitoba province since May 2025, but the intensity of activity escalated in July,” noted NASA.

“The province’s wildfire service reported 98 active fires burning on July 8, including 16 that were listed as out of control across the northern, western, and eastern parts of the province.”

Smoke plumes are shifting directions 

The fires have blown across vast swaths of northern Manitoba, at times closing in on urban centers like Flin Flon and The Pas.

Dense smoke rendered aerial firefighting efforts dangerous or impossible, forcing firefighting crews to focus on protecting lives and infrastructure from the ground. 

Smoke plumes drifted south into the U.S. Upper Midwest, degrading air quality in states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, where conditions reached unhealthy levels and outdoor activities were limited.

“At the time the image was acquired, dense smoke plumes from several of the largest fires streamed north; however, satellites have often observed plumes from Manitoba’s fires blowing east in recent weeks and months,” noted NASA.

Persistent smoke has caused air alert levels to spike across North America. A growing collection of research links wildfire smoke exposure to long‑term health risks.

Escalating fire crisis in Manitoba 

“As of July 9, fires in 2025 had charred 4.8 million hectares across Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. That’s an area about twice the size of New Jersey and nearly four times the 25-year average,” said NASA.

“Manitoba accounted for about 1 million hectares of burned area, about 20 times more than at the same point in 2024 and 13 times more than the 25-year average.”

Despite brief relief from cooler weather and scattered rain, officials caution that full containment of the fires remains a long way off. The threat of flare-ups grows as temperatures continue to rise.

Authorities in Manitoba have emphasized the importance of fire‑smart behavior and compliance with restrictions in what continues to unfold as a historic wildfire emergency.

Remote communities face greater risks

First Nations communities have been hit especially hard by Manitoba’s wildfire crisis. Many of these communities are located in remote areas with limited road access, which complicates evacuation efforts and delays emergency response. 

Critical firefighting infrastructure – such as water tanks, hoses, and trained personnel – is often lacking. In some cases, airstrips are too small to accommodate large aircraft needed for evacuations or supply drops.

These challenges stem from long-standing systemic inequities. Chronic underfunding of infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and emergency services has left many Indigenous communities more vulnerable to climate-related disasters. 

When wildfires strike, the impacts on these remote communities are often more severe and long-lasting.

The rise of extreme fire seasons

Climate change is intensifying wildfire activity across Canada and beyond. Rising global temperatures have led to longer and more severe fire seasons, as warmer air draws more moisture from vegetation and soil, leaving forests drier and more flammable. 

In Manitoba, an early onset of heat and persistent drought created ideal conditions for ignition and rapid spread – conditions that are becoming increasingly common in a warming world.

In addition to fueling drier landscapes, climate change has altered atmospheric patterns that influence fire behavior. Shifts in jet streams and the frequency of high-pressure systems can trap heat over regions for prolonged periods. 

These effects compound the risks, turning what might once have been manageable fire seasons into widespread and persistent emergencies.

A future with more megafires

While wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, the scale and intensity now being observed point to a system pushed beyond historical norms. 

Experts warn that without major cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, Canada will face more frequent megafires – especially in fire-prone provinces like Manitoba.

These escalating fires are expected to bring greater health risks from smoke and increasing strain on emergency response systems.

The image was captured on July 9, 2025 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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