New Brunswick’s wildfire risk is increasing as climate change, shifting weather patterns, and human activity create conditions for fires to start more easily and spread more quickly. Although the province experiences an average of 300+ wildfires each year, most are contained quickly and rarely threaten communities, critical infrastructure, the forest, or other natural resources.
However, climate change projections, as described in New Brunswick Climate Change Risk Assessment report and other studies, show that the province is likely to face longer fire seasons and more extreme fire behaviour, as was evident during the summer of 2025. Our changing climate will place greater pressure on preparedness, response capacity, and coordination among partners.
This report highlights the key components of New Brunswick’s wildfire management program, the critical role of the public, lessons learned from the 2025 wildfire season, and the path forward to further strengthening the province’s ability to respond effectively to the growing demands of wildfire readiness in a changing climate.
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2026-08-31
This report reflects the lessons learned from that experience and government’s recognition of the importance of building a whole-of-society approach for wildfire emergency preparedness.
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Several recurring themes that reflect both operational challenges and opportunities to strengthen the provincial wildfire management system were identified, including:
Pillars
To achieve this vision, the Wildfire Preparedness Plan is structured around five core pillars, which collectively strengthen the preparedness and capacity of New Brunswick’s Wildfire Management Program to prevent, respond to, and manage wildfire events.
Each pillar identifies key strategic and operational actions designed to advance its objectives over a five-year period (2025–2030), which started after the 2025 wildfire season and is projected to end in March of 2030.
In addition, complementary actions internal to Department of Natural Resources will be implemented throughout the life of the plan to further enhance overall preparedness and operational effectiveness.
This plan was also designed in accordance with ongoing efforts led by Department of Justice and Public Safety and NBEMO to strengthen New Brunswick’s emergency management system’s capacity to manage multiple concurrent emergency events through the Provincial All-Hazards Emergency Management Plan. These efforts reflect the increasingly variable and evolving nature of emergencies which may occur alongside increasingly complex wildfire seasons.
This report examined the scale, complexity, and impacts of the 2025 wildfire season and reviewed the current state of the Wildfire Management Program in the Province. As noted, the staff and partners supporting the wildfire suppression efforts demonstrated strong dedication and operational response as well as effective interagency collaboration. It also highlighted growing pressures on systems, resources, and personnel as wildfire conditions across the country continue to intensify. The findings of the After-Action Review underscore both the dedication of staff and partners and the need for continued investment in preparedness, capacity, and coordination. Addressing the identified gaps is essential to maintaining public and firefighter safety, protecting communities and infrastructure, and ensuring the long-term resilience of the wildfire management program in the province.
The strategic and operational actions and recommendations are outlined in this report and provide a clear path forward. Together, they form the foundation for a strengthened, proactive whole-of-government wildfire management approach that positions New Brunswick to better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to future wildfire events.