FACT CHECK: No, Canadian wildfires were not orchestrated

Since the Canadian wildfires commenced early in the year, false narratives have been shared on social media with the claim that the fire was orchestrated. 

“It was a set-up,” reads text across the Instagram video posted in June with over 17,800 likes.

Another post on Instagram also insinuated that the wildfire could have been planned. 

In the circulating video, the voices of individuals watching the footage on TV can be heard. In the footage, a helicopter can be seen dropping fire on the forest trees.

“That’s how they started the fire,” says one person watching the TV. “They set it up”

“Video Footage Shows Helicopters Dropping Flames And Embers Down On Trees In Canada,” another post reads.

RECORD-BREAKING CANADIAN WILDFIRE

Since the beginning of 2023, several wildfires have been recorded in Canada, with huge smoke extending into parts of the US. As of June, the country had recorded more than 400 wildfires, burning simultaneously with over half of them clearly out of control. 

The disaster has driven thousands of Canadians from their homes. It has also led to the suspension of oil and gas production.

On Thursday, July 7, officials said the ongoing fire crisis was only halfway finished, adding that records had been broken for the total area burned, the cost of fighting the fire, and the number of those forced to evacuate their homes.

But was the Canadian fire truly orchestrated?

TheCable analysed the circulating video and found the logo of the British Columbia Wildfire Service at the bottom right-hand corner.

An extensive keyword search led to the original clip posted on YouTube with the title: “Donnie Creek Wildfire – Planned ignition update June 2, 2023”.

VIDEO SHOWS PLANNED IGNITION AIMED AT LIMITING SPREAD OF LARGE WILDFIRES

As seen in the YouTube video and its self-explanatory caption, the deliberate ignition by the British Columbia Wildfire Service was part of efforts to manage the recent wildfire by using fire to manage fuels. 

The footage of the helicopter dropping fire on forest trees is not evidence that the wildfire was orchestrated. Rather, the video shows planned ignition carried out in June at Donnie Creek. 

This form of ignition is an important tactic in wildfire management. It is used to contain a fire incident by bringing its edge to established control lines and reducing the ability for further spread.

Firefighters engage in this effective process to slow down and limit the spread of large fires. The process essentially involves the bulk removal of available fuel ahead of the wildfire, so there’s less fuel available for the fire to burn.

In a video posted on the YouTube Channel of the British Columbia Wildfire Service, experts explained how planned ignition works, adding that planned ignitions help to “reduce fire spread potential by eliminating available fuel between the fire perimeter and the control line – a natural or constructed barrier that is used to help contain a fire”. 

Usually, the perimeter of a burning wildfire is naturally irregular in shape. With planned ignition, the perimeter lines are straightened, and since the burnt area can’t re-burn, it provides a path of least resistance for crews to easily access the fire. 

This strategy increases the safety, efficiency, and overall effectiveness of suppression efforts.

VERDICT

The Instagram video is misleading. It does not in any way prove that the wildfires in Canada were intentionally set up. It only shows a planned ignition, conducted by the British Columbia Wildfire Service to mitigate the effects of an ongoing fire incident.

This content was produced with support from the Independent Media Response Fund, an initiative of the Check Global Program at Meedan to respond to global challenges through hyperlocal initiatives. The fund is supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).