In Canada, the devastating wildfire season has claimed the lives of three firefighters, making it the worst wildfire season on record. The most recent casualty occurred while battling the Donnie Creek fire near Fort St John, British Columbia.

This comes after two other firefighters died earlier in the month. Additionally, a helicopter pilot died in a crash in Alberta while assisting with firefighting efforts.

The province of British Columbia is experiencing a third of all the fires currently raging in Canada, with 613 of the 990 fires considered to be out of control. As a result, residents in the town of Osoyoos and its surrounding areas have been ordered to evacuate.

Smoke from the fires has also posed a pollution threat, spreading as far as the eastern coast of North America and even reaching Europe. Climate change is said to be a major factor contributing to the increased risk of wildfires due to hotter and drier weather conditions. Canada is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense.