Mila and Canadian researchers build AI tool to predict wildfire behaviour

Mila and Natural Resources Canada's forestry division have co-developed an AI model that maps wildfire hazard, spread speed and intensity. It replaces the BurnP3+ simulator and runs 800 to 3,400 times faster, producing hazard maps in hours instead of months.

• Model predicts burn likelihood, spread rate and fire intensity
• Runs 800–3,400 times faster than the BurnP3+ simulator
• Canada's 2026 season burned about 4.5 million hectares, forcing 33,750 evacuations
• Open-source tool built under Canada's federal AI strategy