Keyword
wildfire
Before likely ‘ferocious’ wildfire season, fire chiefs worry about drop in volunteers
April 12, 2024 Lyndsay Armstrong – The Canadian PressAs Canada looks ahead to what experts fear could be another devastating wildfire season, fire chiefs say they are worried about the dwindling number of volunteers available to combat the rising threat. Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of…
Drought, heat raise risk of repeat of last summer’s record-breaking wildfires
April 10, 2024 The Canadian PressPersistent drought and months of above-average temperatures have raised the risk of a repeat of last year’s record-breaking wildfires. Federal officials say conditions are already ripe for an early and above-normal fire risk from Quebec all the way to British…
B.C. to get wildfire training and education centre in response to expert task force
April 5, 2024 The Canadian PressBritish Columbia’s premier says a training and education centre for wildfire fighters will be established in response to recommendations by a task force that looked into last year’s catastrophic wildfires. David Eby says the centre at Thompson Rivers University in…
Driven by wildfire smoke, Canada’s air quality worse than U.S. in 2023
March 25, 2024 Jordan Omstead – The Canadian PressCanada’s air pollution levels last year were worse than those in the United States for the first time since an air-quality firm started publishing its assessments in 2018. The sixth World Air Quality report published Tuesday by Swiss firm IQAir…
Alberta town outlines plan ahead of fire season
March 21, 2024 John Watson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Strathmore Times – The Canadian PressThe Town of Strathmore recently finalized its hazard reduction burn plan, which aims to reduce the risk of grass and wildfires in the local region. According to the town, the plan aims to assess grassland fuels on the landscape within…
Active spring wildfire season may be in store for B.C. as drought persists
March 19, 2024 Ashley Joannou – The Canadian PressBritish Columbia needs a drenching of rain to alleviate the tinder dry conditions that have forecasters worried about the potential for another difficult wildfire season. Cliff Chapman, director of operations for the BC Wildfire Service, said parts of the province…
How clients can be motivated on climate action
March 5, 2024 by Jason ContantMeasures to help mitigate climate change are a known commodity, it’s just a matter of motivating the public, government and regulators to take action, speakers suggested Monday at an industry event. Climate change is irreversible, but its rate can be…
Inaccurate data on forest fuels may stoke B.C. wildfires, study finds
March 4, 2024 Brenna Owen - The Canadian PressWildfire fighting and forest management decisions are potentially being hampered by inaccurate government data that misrepresents forest fuel loads in British Columbia’s Interior, a new study has found. The B.C. government says the provincial wildfire service is working with the…
Warm and dry weather prompts Alberta to declare an early start to wildfire season
February 21, 2024 The Canadian PressEDMONTON – The Alberta government has declared an early start to the 2024 wildfire season in the face of low snowpacks and forecasts of dry weather to come. Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen said Tuesday the season is…
Alberta fire chiefs want provincial wildfire plan released before season begins
February 1, 2024 The Canadian PressEDMONTON – Alberta’s fire chiefs are “urgently” asking the provincial government to explain how it’s getting ready for the upcoming wildfire season and to release its preparedness strategy. “There is a growing concern among fire chiefs across the province of…
More than 100 wildfires still burning after B.C.’s record wildfire season
January 17, 2024 Ashley Joannou - The Canadian PressMore than 100 wildfires are still listed as burning in British Columbia thanks to a combination of a busy wildfire season, extreme drought and generally warmer and drier conditions through December. Forrest Tower of the BC Wildfire Service said that…
Wildfires in Alberta burned 10 times more area in 2023 than the five-year average
January 5, 2024 Colette Derworiz - THE CANADIAN PRESSAlberta Wildfire says it saw an average number of wildfires last year, but the area burned across the province set a record. The province saw a total of 1,088 wildfires that burned about 22,000 square kilometres from March 1 to…