Canada could see its worst wildfire season on record

Canada is bracing for what forecasters say may be the country's worst wildfire season on record.

It has already seen 2,214 fires this year, which have burned an area roughly totalling the size of Belgium.

Projections suggest the risk of wildfires will only increase in June and remain unusually high with little respite throughout the summer.

The federal natural resources minister called this season's projections "sobering".

"It shows us that this year's already devastating season could well get worse," Jonathan Wilkinson said at a news conference on Monday.

In a Monday briefing, officials said the number of wildfires Canada has seen so far this year is "unprecedented" for this early in the wildfire season, which typically lasts from May to September.

The fires have collectively burned more than 3.3 million hectares of land across the country - around 12 times more than the average over the last 10 years.

Experts have pointed to a warmer and drier spring than normal as the reason behind this trend. These warm and dry conditions are projected to continue throughout the summer, fuelling a high risk of wildfires from the west coast province of British Columbia to Atlantic Canada in the east.

If the trend continues, the country could see its largest area burned by wildfires on record.

"Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildland fires and creating longer fire seasons in Canada," said Michael Norton, director general of the Northern Forestry Centre at Canada's Department of Natural Resources.

As of Sunday, there were 413 wildfires burning cross Canada, with 249 of them considered to be out of control.

Wildfires have forced the evacuation of a total of 100,000 people across the country to date.

Many have since returned to their homes but officials said around 26,000 people are still under evacuation across seven different provinces and territories.

A wildfire near Halifax - the largest city in Nova Scotia - was contained over the weekend with the help of rainy weather, the province's natural resources department said.

The fire destroyed more than 200 homes and structures and forced the evacuation of 16,000 people. Some have since been able to return home.

New fires have erupted elsewhere, including in the province of Quebec, where around 164 fires are active as of Monday, forcing more than 10,000 residents to evacuate.

Along with local firefighters, Canada has deployed its military across the country to help battle the wildfires.

Nearly 1,000 firefighters from other countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are also on the ground to help.

Over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will be sending an additional 100 firefighters to Quebec.

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the current wildfire situation in the country as "difficult and heart-breaking".

A number of burn bans are in place across the country and officials have warned Canadians to take extra care in areas deemed at a high risk of wildfires.