Forest fires in Canada have never been quite so destructive. In 2023, some 15 million hectares – the equivalent of more than a quarter of mainland France – went up in flames. Canada is warming faster than the world as a whole and 2023, the world's hottest year on record, was inevitably challenging. Firefighters, rescue workers and residents of at-risk localities are learning to live with the ever-increasing risk of devastating fires. Our correspondents François Rihouay and Joanne Profeta report.