Québec spruce-budworm damage expands to 21.3 million hectares of public forest

The area of Québec public forest affected by spruce budworm reached 21,298,314 hectares in 2026, as both the outbreak’s footprint and visible damage increased, according to the provincial government.

Spruce budworm is a native insect whose larvae feed on the new foliage of fir and spruce trees. Repeated severe defoliation can weaken trees and lead to mortality, making the annual survey important for forest managers, communities and forestry businesses.

Québec’s control program uses aerial biological treatments in selected areas to keep targeted trees alive during the outbreak. The government publishes annual mapping and treatment information; the province-wide affected-area total is not the same as the area treated in a given year.

Source: Gouvernement du Québec, spruce budworm control program (updated November 3, 2026).

Illustrative stock photo: Jason Leem / Unsplash (Unsplash Licence). The image is not a survey photograph of the 2026 Québec outbreak. Cropped/resized by WordPress.