With the 2024 wildfire season well under way, pundits and online activists are quick to blame global warming. Others blame government-funded arson.

With so much information circulating the internet, it can be hard to sort out fact from fiction in determining what causes wildfires.

We know that arson happens. We’ve seen serial arsonists arrested for starting forest fires, as well as a shocking number of churches. That was the case of Quebec man Brian Pare, who plead guilty to setting 14 fires after insisting online that the government was responsible.

While some fires are set by people with ill intent, fires also occur due to natural causes. It is incumbent that we do not jump to conclusion owing to our convictions.

Premier Danielle Smith urges Albertans to use caution and promptly report inadvertently set fires.

"Be careful" during dry weather and when having campfires, she says.
This year, every fire but one has been caused by humans.https://t.co/N4HL37VHb3 pic.twitter.com/eopZjg7kE0

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 10, 2024

Kyle Brittain, a severe weather journalist and former wildland firefighter, is no stranger to exploring what causes wildfires. Rebel News interviewed him to debunk prevailing myths as we enter another wildfire season.

Brittain analyzed the first wave of smoke to hit Calgary last week and laid down some statistics about the causes of fires. A mix of factors contribute to the severity and number of wildfires.

The weather journalist also discussed the shocking scale of wildfires initiated by lightning strikes and other peculiar phenomenon. He attributes some to overwinter fires, which burn underground in roots systems and are reignited when the surface dries out as snow begins to melt.

Though natural causes contribute to most fires, most which impact residential areas are caused by human negligence. Some are the result of arson.

"In my province, we had 650 fires and 500 of them were human caused": Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pushes back against recent climate-related hysteria over wildfires.https://t.co/jvF8CGs3rE pic.twitter.com/zYFTkLaDiH

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) August 25, 2023

If you see a wildfire, find details on how to report it by clicking here.