A National Framework for Wildfire Assessment

New research shows need for holistic approach

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - To help communities achieve holistic recovery from wildfires, Canada must adopt a standardized, national approach to wildfire assessment that captures both the physical and social impacts, according to new research from The Conference Board of Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross.

"Current assessment practices focus too narrowly on the physical impacts of wildfires, often overlooking the significant social impacts that help inform community recovery," said Babatunde Olateju, Director of Sustainability at The Conference Board of Canada. "This limits a government's ability to effectively allocate resources and help communities embed resilience as they recover from disasters."

The current publicly available data shows a fractured landscape in Canada with various government bodies. The research proposes the Canadian Wildfire Impact Assessment Framework (CWIAF) to address the existing gaps. This framework would introduce a place-based approach to assess social impacts, while also establishing a national database, standardized indicators and measurement procedures, and reporting templates.

"Every year Canadian Red Cross witnesses firsthand the devastating impacts of fires in Canada, and the current measurements do not tell the full story," said Amy Avis, Chief of Operations for the Canadian Red Cross. "The full impacts go far beyond the amount of land or structures destroyed by wildfires. When people are affected, there are individual losses, impacted livelihoods, damage to homes, and health and psychosocial needs that should be considered. Enhancing the data to include societal impact is a critical step in advancing a National Recovery Framework that contemplates the full spectrum of risk and impacts of wildfires in Canada."

By integrating social impacts into wildfire assessments, communities and governments can respond more effectively and ensure recovery efforts meet the full spectrum of needs. This is a critical step towards disaster preparedness and building stronger, more resilient communities.  

About The Conference Board of Canada
The Conference Board of Canada is the country's leading independent research organization. Since 1954, The Conference Board of Canada has been providing research that supports evidence-based decision making to solve Canada's toughest problems. Follow The Conference Board of Canada on X @ConfBoardofCda. For more information on our impact, please visit the link here.

About the Canadian Red Cross
Here in Canada and overseas, the Red Cross stands ready to help people before, during and after a disaster. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – which is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 191 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies – the Canadian Red Cross is dedicated to helping people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need, and supporting them in strengthening their resilience.  

SOURCE Conference Board of Canada

Media Contact: The Conference Board of Canada, E-mail: [email protected], Tel: [phone] ext. 224