Response Ready: Developing an Emergency Plan for Heritage Institutions

Heritage Under Siege

Canada's cultural heritage faces unprecedented threats from intensifying natural disasters, driven by climate change. In 2025, the country endured its second-worst wildfire season on record, with over 6,100 fires scorching 8.3 million hectares. These blazes not only ravaged forests but also targeted cultural sites, such as the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island National Park, where historic structures and artifacts were damaged or lost. Similarly, fires in Saskatchewan destroyed the Robertson Trading Post, erasing hundreds of indigenous artifacts. Such events build on prior incidents, like the massive 2023 fire in Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which released emissions equivalent to a year's worth of fossil fuels from an entire country.

Floods and ice storms compounded the damage. A late-March 2025 ice storm in Ontario and Quebec left over a million without power and caused millions in infrastructure harm, while seasonal flooding threatened First Nations communities and archaeological sites. Insured losses from severe weather topped $2.4 billion, including $300 million from wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan alone. These disasters affect a wide range: Indigenous communities lose ancestral knowledge embedded in artifacts and landscapes, national parks see biodiversity erosion, and urban museums grapple with potential submersion or erosion from rising sea levels and storm surges.

The stakes are concrete and escalating. Emergency Management Assistance Program funding for non-structural mitigation is available until March 31, 2026, but proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis until depleted, creating a race for resources. Inaction risks not just cultural erasure—estimated at billions in heritage value—but also economic fallout, with heritage tourism generating significant revenue. For instance, disruptions at sites like Pimachiowin Aki or the Greater Blue Mountains echo global patterns where fires account for 75% of forest loss in UNESCO properties.

Less obvious tensions arise in balancing prevention with preservation. Prescribed burning, a tool to mitigate wildfires, can inadvertently harm cultural areas if not carefully managed, pitting ecological needs against heritage integrity. Funding biases favor larger institutions, leaving smaller, rural, or Indigenous-led sites under-resourced. Surprising data reveals that while fire-related losses dominate, water hazards like droughts and floods endanger 73% of World Heritage sites, with examples like severe droughts in the Ahwar of Southern Iraq mirroring potential Canadian scenarios. Stakeholder frictions emerge between government bodies pushing for resilience and communities advocating for culturally sensitive approaches.