Imagine Toronto entirely engulfed in flames, from Lake Ontario north to Steeles, and from the Rouge River in the east to Etobicoke Creek in the west. Now multiply that area by 100, and you are starting to get a sense of the immense and apocalyptic wildfires burning out of control across the Canadian wilderness right now.

Wildfires in 2023 have scorched roughly 6.3 million hectares/6,300 km², or about 15.5 million acres of land in Canada.

For reference, Toronto's land area measures 63,020 hectares/630.2 km², or 155,700 acres, a number you would have to multiply by a staggering 99.968 to reach the area of scorched land during a record wildfire season.

The fire season continues at a record pace. Now 6.3 million hectares burned or about 15.5 million acres. Quebec has also taken the lead over Alberta in total hectares burned this year. https://t.co/s6phEzZLHv pic.twitter.com/omkbs9LJPw

— Anthony Farnell (@AnthonyFarnell) June 22, 2023

That's significantly larger than the entire province of Prince Edward Island's land area of 5,660 km².

If that comparison isn't concerning enough, the area affected by wildfires is 178.71 km² larger than the combined area of the world's seven smallest countries.

If you add up the land area of microstates Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, San Marino, Liechtenstein, and the Marshall Islands, you are still only at 71.6 per cent of the area of Canada burned so far this year.

Much of this unprecedented forest fire wave is occurring in Quebec, however, there have been close to 300 wildfires in Ontario alone this season. Not even 100 had burned by the same time in 2022.

An aerial fire suppression team (including both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft) remains on site of Cochrane 11 this evening, west of the community of Fort Albany. The fire’s size is estimated at 300 hectares and the temperature in the area is 30 degrees early this evening. pic.twitter.com/BnHBdmxUzx

— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) June 21, 2023

The Ontario Forest Fires Twitter account run by the province's Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry has been sharing terrifying updates captured from aircraft surveying the damage, showing scenes that look ripped from a high-budget disaster flick.

Cochrane 7 is exhibiting intense fire activity today northeast of Abitibi Lake. There is significant air traffic over this fire with many helicopters dedicated to the incident. We are asking people & aircraft to stay away from this area for the safety of the public and staff. pic.twitter.com/FV9Cv7LY73

— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) June 21, 2023

Though the fires may be some distance from Toronto, the city has indeed experienced ill effects from the distant infernos.

A thick cloud of smoke and ash wafted over the city in early June, leaving the smell of campfires in the atmosphere and driving air quality down to dangerous levels. The particles in the air also create conditions for some haunting red sunrises and sunsets and Blade Runner-esque orange skies.

And it could get even worse in the days and weeks to come, as hot, dry weather is in the forecast for areas currently burning or at risk.

While some fires may have appeared quiet over the past few days, temperatures are forecasted to reach the 30 degree range across the majority of the province today and many wildland fires remain active on the landscape. The potential remains for increased fire behavior this week. pic.twitter.com/ePQC9WuLDd

— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) June 20, 2023

Canada's record-breaking 2023 wildfire season is just another troubling warning from a planet that seems sick and tired of our species' unending bull***t.