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Wildfires in Canada
The latest news and updates as we track the impact of wildfires, smoke and air quality alerts around Canada.
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Wildfires in Canada: South African firefighters uplift Canada with 'awe-inspiring' display of solidarity at Edmonton airport
- South African firefighters - visiting Canada to help fight a record number of blazes - brought an uplifting surprise for weary Canadians.
Latest wildfire updates and impacts
- NewsCBC
As wildfires worsen, Canada's space agency wants to become firefighters' eye in the sky
Canada's fire forecasters will be getting a new tool in their battle against out-of-control blazes.In this year's record-scorching fire season, provincial and federal wildfire agencies had to rely on a mix of European and NASA satellite instruments to help monitor and predict fire behaviour.Now, however, the Canadian Space Agency is preparing to launch what it describes as the world's first dedicated public fire-monitoring satellite into orbit."Since we don't have our own wildfire satellite, we
- NewsCBC
Northern airlines in Ottawa to talk wildfires, climate change and infrastructure
Members of the Northern Air Transport Association (NATA) were in Ottawa on Thursday to discuss the way climate change, aging infrastructure, and staffing challenges are affecting their industry in the midst of an unprecedented forest fire season.Representatives from 14 different northern airlines, including Air North and Canadian North, say deteriorating northern infrastructure and climate change are creating safety concerns for staff and passengers. NATA members played a key role in evacuating
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Homeowners face rising insurance rates as climate change makes wildfires, storms more common
NEW YORK (AP) — A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report says. A report from First Street Foundation released Wednesday says states such as California, Florida and Louisiana, which are prone to wildfires and damaging storms and flooding, are likely to see the most dramatic increases in premiums. But the fire that destroy
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Books on wildfires, race among finalists for Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize
TORONTO — Books on wildfires, racism, and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls are among the finalists this year for the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. The Writers' Trust of Canada announced the short list for the $75,000 prize on Wednesday. The finalists include "Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast" by John Vaillant, which tells the story of how fire has become an existential threatin part by examining the aftermath of Alberta's Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016. Als
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Evacuation orders issued near Peachland, more than 400 wildfires burn across B.C.
PEACHLAND, B.C. — An evacuation order has been issued for eight recreational properties due to the Glen Lake Wildfire, about 15 kilometres west of Peachland, B.C. The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says it also issued an evacuation alert for all areas south of Peachland Forest Service Road from the 5 kilometre marker to the boundary between the Regional District of Central Okanagan and the Regional District of South Okanagan. It says that though the area is mostly used for recreati
- NewsCBC
Some insects feast on burnt trees after wildfires. Experts worry they could cause further destruction
As wildfires intensify, experts worry tree-destroying insect populations may grow in their aftermath.As burnt trees take up more space in B.C. forests, so do insects that feast off of them, like wood borers and bark beetles — including the Douglas fir beetle and western pine beetle. "Firefighters are busy during fires, and then the entomologists get busy afterwards," said Lorraine Maclauchlan, entomologist with B.C.'s Ministry of Forests. Bark-destroying insects are attracted to dead and weakene
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Wildfires, opioids, homes on agenda at annual gathering of B.C.'s local leaders
The triple threats of wildfires, opioids and housing needs facing British Columbia are the focus of a weeklong gathering of elected municipal and provincial leaders in Vancouver at the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities convention. A record attendance of more than 2,000 delegates is expected at the convention, which starts Monday and concludes Friday with a speech by Premier David Eby. UBCM president Jen Ford said in an interview that it's a very challenging time to be in local government. "The
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Two visible wildfires burning near Pemberton, BC Wildfire Service says
PEMBERTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA — The BC Wildfire Service says crews are responding to two "highly visible" out of control wildfires in the Pemberton, B.C., area. It says both will likely remain visible throughout the weekend due to forecasted windy conditions. The service says the Spetch Creek blaze, 13 kilometres northeast of Pemberton, can be seen from that community as well as from Birken, Pool Creek and Highway 99, especially after dark. Meanwhile, the service says the three-square kilometre So
- SportsThe Canadian Press
Wildfires abate for NHL rookie camp to go ahead in Penticton, B.C.
PENTICTON, B.C. — A rookie tournament for four of Canada's NHL teams appeared in jeopardy a short time ago. As wildfires ravaged the hillsides of nearby West Kelowna, heavy smoke and accommodation demands for emergency responders forced the cancellation of Penticton’s biggest annual event, Ironman Canada, on Aug. 29. The Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks running their September rookie tournament in the southern Okanagan was in question. “A couple of friends of
- BusinessCBC
N.W.T. store shelves filling up again after wildfires disrupted supply chain
When Yellowknife's evacuation order went out last month, city residents had until noon on Friday, Aug. 18, to leave the capital. That Friday, Yellowknife Co-op manager Justin Nelson said his store was packed with shoppers from nearby Behchokǫ̀, filling their carts with weeks' worth of groceries. The Behchokǫ̀ shoppers were preparing for what would be a supply chain disruption that soon left some N.W.T. communities with empty grocery shelves and skyrocketing prices as freight came from Edmonton r
