The widespread effects of extreme droughts in Atlantic Canada
From late May through early June of 2025, Maritimers came together on social media to mock the weather with an inconvenient pattern of rainy weekends. Areas in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, found they would have a pattern of sunny weekdays, followed by rainy weekends. This pattern continued for several months until late June, when precipitation on weekends dropped significantly. Throughout July and much of August, rainfall was at an all-time low. By the end of August, the Canadian Drought Monitor showed N.B. and N.S. ranging from moderate to extreme drought, with the majority of P.E.I. in the extreme drought range. Annapolis Valley had its driest August on record, with less than 15mm of rain. Charlottetown had its third driest August and Summerside had its fifth driest. August in Saint John was the fourth driest, with Fredericton and Moncton having their fifth driest August on record.
These droughts have resulted in dangerous wildfires, with the largest outbreaks in the Annapolis Valley, N.S. and Miramichi, N.B. Fires in the Annapolis Valley grew to over 300 hectares, leading to the evacuation of around 40 homes. Another fire near Bayers Lake led to evacuations on Aug. 12. In N.B., in mid-August, there were 39 wildfires, many in uninhabited crown land. Oldfield Road, near Miramichi, spread to about 14 square kilometres and burned for many days before it could be extinguished. These wildfires caused province-wide burn bans in all three Maritime provinces, aiming to deter any possibility of human-caused wildfires.. N.B. implemented woods bans through late August which prohibited any human activity in forested areas, including hiking, camping, and ATV use. Violating this ban could result in fines of up to $172. In N.S., this ban was taken even more seriously with fines of up to $25,000. Bans are controlled on a regional basis within the province, and have since been lifted in Cape Breton, Richmond, Victoria, Inverness, Guysborough, Antigonish, and Halifax. At this time of writing, bans remain in Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland, Hants, Lunenburg, Kings, Annapolis, Queens, Shelburne, Digby, and Yarmouth until October 15, unless conditions change in the meantime.
Despite the public being able to get back outdoors in N.B. and most of N.S., farmers throughout the Maritimes are still mourning the widespread drought effects. In the Annapolis Valley, apple orchard farmers have noticed their apples have barely been growing over the course of the past three months. Both the size and colour of the apples are very low, and many retail and wholesale sellers are unable to sell apples from the valley with the existing conditions. Some farmers have noticed the trees themselves are suffering just as much as the individual fruits. Many fear their trees will either be unable to produce fruits next year or die over the winter because they are not able to get enough moisture. Other farmers are hopeful with the transition into fall, rainfall will increase, yielding a reduced, but marketable harvest later in fall.
As well, corn farmers in Baie de Bouctouche, N.B., are disappointed in subpar harvests this year. Corn cobs are smaller than ever, and fourth-generation farmer Christian Michaud says his corn crops are only producing about 60 per cent of the usual production. Meanwhile, a blueberry farm near Sainte-Marie-de-Kent had its worst year of production ever. Normally, mid-September is when blueberry season winds down, but this year, harvests ended weeks earlier than usual. Many blueberries died on the vine, and those harvestable looked underripe, fetching a lower price than usual.
This summer’s drought across the Maritimes is a stark reminder of how climate change is reshaping weather patterns and amplifying extreme events. What once could have been considered an unusual dry spell has now become part of a broader trend of intensifying droughts with unpredictable rainfall and destructive wildfires. For Atlantic Canada — historically known for its wet climate — this shift means heightened risks to agriculture, ecosystems, and communities alike. Climate change is no longer a distant forecast, but a present-day challenge demanding adaptation, resilience, and urgent action.