How ‘Zombie Fires’ Threaten Canada’s Oil and Gas Industry

Last year, Canada battled record wildfires, and despite being brought under control, several fires continue to blaze covertly. The so-called ‘zombie fires‘ are hidden under layers of snow and continue to burn at an unprecedented rate, raising fears of what will happen when the snow no longer packs the ground

In 2023, Canada experienced a record year of wild fires that burned approximately 45.7 million acres of land, or about twice the size of Portugal. Between spring and fall, Canada recorded more than 6,500 fires, most of them in the country’s boreal forests. Most of the fires broke out in remote areas, far from population centers, but they still took place. The Canadian fires gained international fame in June last year when plumes of smoke crossed the border into the United States, where skies over New York turned orange.

The “Fire zombies” are nothing more than a phenomenon whereby fires they only apparently turn off, actually continuing to burn slowly in the underground peat, even under the snow, and then bursting out again when the snow melts.

In this video you can see what these “Zombie Fires” look like:

Although the flames have subsided during the colder autumn months, they continue to pose a threat, with more severe fires expected this year. About 50 zombie fires continue to burn near oil and gas wells and other production facilities, according to government data. These residual fires burn in the earth’s organic matter, such as peat, which means they continue to burn and are difficult to put out. They pose a threat to disrupt oil and gas production, with Tourmaline Oil Corp., the country’s largest gas producer, oil sands giant Cenovus Energy Inc. and Paramount Resources Ltd. all at risk. Experts suggest that three percent of Canada’s gas production could be at risk.

Example of a zombie fire burning underground

Despite being hidden, people in zombie fire areas can see and hear clouds of white smoke rising from the ground. During snowstorms, the snow has been known to turn a bluish-gray color due to wildfire smoke. This phenomenon is relatively common in British Columbia, which sees about five or six zombie fires in an average winter. However, in January, the number of zombie fires identified in the province rose to 106. Alberta also had 57 zombie fires still burning as of early February, a number nearly 10 times higher than the five-year average. Many subside before spring, but those that remain could pose a threat as the seasons change.

More than 65% of Canada was considered arid or in drought at the end of March, suggesting the possibility of even more severe wildfires this summer. The country is also expected to experience higher than normal temperatures this year, due to the El Niño weather phenomenon. The first wildfire of 2024 was seen in Alberta in February, much earlier than in previous years. There is significant potential for new wild fires in the warmer months, as well as zombie fires returning if not put out properly.

Zombie fires under the snow

The Canadian government aims to reduce the risk of wildfires this year, although many said last year that the outbreak of numerous uncontrollable blazes was largely due to poor government control.

Last year, Westbrick was forced to shut down about 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent. However, because much of the vegetation that fires burned last year has disappeared, the company believes the threat of widespread fires is lower this year. Chevron Corp., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Baytex Energy Corp were also forced to shut in about 300,000 bpd of oil as wild fires burned near their infrastructure. In 2016, Canada was forced to halt production and shut down more than a million bpd due to massive fires in Fort McMurray, near most of the country’s oil sands production sites.

The Canadian government has been closely monitoring zombie fires across the country, to mitigate the threat of these flames spreading as wildfires in the summer months. However, the Government has recorded a much greater number of zombie fires this year than in previous years, likely due to the sharp increase in wild fires in 2023, as well as the higher than normal temperatures the country has experienced, which does not hope for the upcoming fire season.