In response to elevated wildfire risks, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have implemented bans on hiking, camping, fishing, and other activities in wooded areas. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced that trail systems and the use of vehicles in forests are off-limits, with violations subject to fines up to $28,000. New Brunswick has similarly prohibited entry into woods, imposing fines ranging from $500 to $10,000. These measures have been justified by authorities as necessary to prevent wildfires and to reduce strain on emergency services, citing concerns that injured individuals in remote areas may not receive timely aid. Other Atlantic provinces, including Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, have enacted provincewide burn bans but have not imposed forest access restrictions. Newfoundland Premier John Hogan expressed difficulty in enforcing a woods ban similar to those in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, opting instead to increase fines for fire violations. The bans have sparked legal challenges and criticism from groups such as the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which called the restrictions “overbroad” and “grossly disproportionate.” Some officials have shifted their rationale for the bans, moving from wildfire prevention to concerns over public safety, including the risk of injury in the woods. Conservative MPs have criticized federal inaction on wildfire management, linking it to the provincial restrictions. Despite the bans, some residents have defied the orders, with at least one Nova Scotia man fined $28,000 who intends to challenge the penalty in court. The measures reflect ongoing tensions between public safety, environmental concerns, and individual freedoms in Atlantic Canada amid wildfire threats.