The Rising Dangers of Wildfires: Breaking Down Provincial Worries

First Onsite survey explores wildfires, smoke, evacuation, and family safety

Mississauga, ON (May 21, 2025) – First OnSite Property Restoration, Canada’s leading property restoration company, marks the beginning of the 2025 wildfire season with the release of its annual Wildfire Worries Survey. The study of more than 1500 adults found that two-thirds of Canadians (63%) are worried about the damage caused by wildfires.

Canada’s wildfire season has already forced evacuation orders across Canada this month, beginning in B.C., the Prairies, central and northern Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

North America has seen record catastrophic losses from wildfires in just the first quarter of 2025, with Aon estimating the January wildfires in the Los Angeles area to have cost US$37.5 billion in insured losses.^[1] The Palisades and Eaton Fires are seared in the collective consciousness of North Americans, with the imagery of residents fleeing their homes becoming a powerful symbol of the wildfires’ devastating impact.

Provincial Breakdown: B.C. and Alberta Most Concerned
Provincially, wildfire concerns are highest in British Columbia (82%) and Alberta (76%), a sentiment fuelled by years of intense wildfire activity and evacuations in Western Canada. Alberta saw the devastation of the Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016 and last year’s massive wildfire in Jasper. These were two of the most expensive disasters in Canadian history. Additionally, the four worst wildfire seasons in B.C.’s history have all taken place in the last eight years.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba saw a steep 15-point increase in wildfire worries from last year—rising from 48 per cent to 63 per cent. Compared to the five-year average, Saskatchewan experienced more wildfires than expected, with smoke causing air quality advisories in most of the province. Manitoba saw 266,000 hectares of forest burned in 2024, about 60,000 hectares more than in 2023. In both provinces, smoke and fire caused evacuations of vulnerable populations.

Atlantic Canada also saw a sharp 11-point increase in worries from last year, rising from 56 per cent to 67 per cent. The Maritimes region of Eastern Canada is not typically associated with wildfire. However, during the intense 2023 fire season, 24,064 hectares of land burned in the Maritimes, making it the second-most area burned in a calendar year for the region in nearly four decades.^[2]

“Urban expansion into fire-prone areas creates intensified risk. Homes built near wildland areas are increasingly vulnerable to fires, especially during dry, hot summers,” said Jim Mandeville, Senior Vice President, Large Loss North America for First Onsite Property Restoration.

Smoke

Considering the increasing risk of wildfires, two-thirds of Canadians (65%) were also concerned about wildfire smoke, led by British Columbia at 83 per cent and the Prairies (Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan) all at 82 per cent. Again, as with wildfires, Saskatchewan and Manitoba saw a massive 16-point increase in wildfire smoke worries—rising from 66 per cent to 82 per cent.

In the summer of 2023, which shattered the record for the hottest year, Canadian wildfires caused widespread smoke that stretched across North America and even reached Europe, impacting air quality and leading to potential health concerns.

In fact, a new study from the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows a substantial increase in asthma-related ER visits during Ontario’s record 2023 wildfire season.^[3]

Evacuation

When it comes to evacuation, three-quarters of Canadians (76%) were concerned about personal or family safety, and nearly two-thirds (62%) expressed concern about having to leave their community in the wake of a disaster such as a fire. The fear of evacuation was highest in B.C. (68%) and Atlantic Canada (67%).

“In terms of evacuation, the number one piece of preparedness advice is to be aware. Listen to authorities, follow evacuation alerts, and be ready to go at a moment’s notice with an emergency go-bag. Moving quickly can save lives,” said Mandeville.

Resources: Wildfires – How to Prepare and React

First Onsite can help clients with emergency response planning, which is critical—especially if communities are positioned in wildfire-prone regions. When wildfires do occur, First Onsite is ready 24/7, 365 days per year, to respond to those who have experienced property or smoke damage. Visit its wildfire services page, “Wildfires – how to prepare and react,” for more information.

Notes

[1] Aon Q1 Global Catastrophe Recap.

[2] Natural Resources Canada, “Canada Under Fire – Drivers and Impacts of the Record-Breaking 2023 Wildfire Season.”

[3] CMAJ Impact of the 2023 wildfire smoke episodes in Ontario.

About the FIRST ONSITE Wildfire Worries Survey

These findings are from a survey conducted by First Onsite from February 19 to February 21, 2025, among a representative sample of 1,501 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About First Onsite

First Onsite Property Restoration is one of the largest and fastest-growing emergency response planning, mitigation, and reconstruction service providers in North America. First Onsite employs over 2,500 team members and operates from more than 100 locations across Canada and the U.S. With a culture focused on harnessing the human power of its team members and a commitment to doing what’s right, the First Onsite team helps clients restore, rebuild, and rise. First Onsite is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation. For more information, visit www.firstonsite.ca.

Source: First Onsite Property Restoration

Tags: FirstOnSite Restoration, survey, wildfires