Image source, Reuters Image caption,

Wildfires have collectively burned more than 7.9 million hectares (19.5 million acres) of land across Canada so far this year

By Nadine Yousif

BBC News, Toronto

Canada has surpassed its record for the largest area burned by wildfires in a single year.

The blazes have burned more than 8.1m hectares (20m acres) across the country - 21 times above the average over the last decade.

There are currently 483 wildfires across Canada. More than 250 of those are considered to be out of control.

The wildfires have also produced record levels of carbon emissions, with smoke reaching as far as Europe.

The previous Canadian record for area burned by wildfires was set in 1989 from more than 11,000 blazes, according to government figures.

While this year's fires are smaller in number - nearly 3,000 so far in 2023 - they are much larger in size.

Federal officials in Canada said the fires have been more widespread "than in recent memory".

Canada wildfire crews try to control the uncontrollable