Wildfires

Ashley Berard, who studies the social impact of natural disasters at UVic, is calling for more mental health support for firefighters and wildfire victims ahead of B.C.’s wildfire season. (Black Press Media file photo)

UVic researcher calling for mental health support ahead of wildfire season

Ashley Berard studies the social impact of natural disasters

 

A view of the Parker Lake wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C. is shown on Monday, May 13, 2024 in a BC Wildfire Service handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildfire Service **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Criminals take advantage as Fort Nelson residents flee wildfire: Police

The Parker Lake wildfire is burning just a few kilometres west of town

 

A new project at UVic released their first publication which lays out priorities that can be acted on right away to help manage wildfires. (Courtesy UVic)

B.C. wildfire project tells communities how to protect and prepare

University of Victoria files first report under the POLIS Wildfire Resilience Project

 

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipalities issued an evacuation alert May 9, 2024 at the recommendation of BC Widlfire Service due to the potential risk of wildfires in the Patry and Nogah creek areas. (Northern Rockies Regional Municipalities)

2 wildfires lead to evacuation alerts in northeastern B.C.

North Rockies Regional Municipalities issues alerts in Patry and Nogah creek areas

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipalities issued an evacuation alert May 9, 2024 at the recommendation of BC Widlfire Service due to the potential risk of wildfires in the Patry and Nogah creek areas. (Northern Rockies Regional Municipalities)
The risk of wildfires remains high in Western Canada but the situation is currently better than it was at this time last year. Burned trees damaged from recent wildfires are seen in Drayton Valley, Alta. on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Start of Canada’s wildfire season better than last year, risk remains high

Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says 90 fires burning as of Thursday

The risk of wildfires remains high in Western Canada but the situation is currently better than it was at this time last year. Burned trees damaged from recent wildfires are seen in Drayton Valley, Alta. on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
A firefighter directs water on a grass fire burning on an acreage behind a residential property in Kamloops, B.C., Monday, June 5, 2023. British Columbia’s Peace River Regional District has cancelled an evacuation alert for areas around Chetwynd in the province’s northeast. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Evacuation alert lifted as wildfire in northeastern B.C. now ‘held’

The evacuation order for about 67 homes was issued

A firefighter directs water on a grass fire burning on an acreage behind a residential property in Kamloops, B.C., Monday, June 5, 2023. British Columbia’s Peace River Regional District has cancelled an evacuation alert for areas around Chetwynd in the province’s northeast. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, April 15, 2024. Hajdu was stopped at Lytton First Nation on April 24, 2024 to announce $1.3 million for the First Nation through the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Feds to ‘fast-track’ 20 homes for Lytton First Nation, 3 years after wildfire

$1.3M for 20 new units, construction of 175 more homes in next decade: Indigenous Services Minister

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, April 15, 2024. Hajdu was stopped at Lytton First Nation on April 24, 2024 to announce $1.3 million for the First Nation through the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
(BC Wildfire Service)

UPDATE: B.C. interior wildfires being held

Multiple wildfires sparked in the Kamloops, Southeast fire centres over the weekend

  • Apr 21, 2024
(BC Wildfire Service)
A residential area destroyed by the wildfires is shown in Enterprise, N.W.T., on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. Persistent drought and months of above average temperatures have raised the risk of a repeat of last year’s record-breaking wildfires.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Canada bracing as drought raises risk of repeating unprecedented wildfires

Above-average temperatures have federal ministers to wave a red warning flag

A residential area destroyed by the wildfires is shown in Enterprise, N.W.T., on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. Persistent drought and months of above average temperatures have raised the risk of a repeat of last year’s record-breaking wildfires.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Emergency Minister Bowinn Ma warns of “tough” wildfire season ahead during an update on seasonal preparedness in Vancouver. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston and Water Minister Nathan Cullen are currently updating the public on the upcoming wildfire season. (Screencap)

B.C. residents asked to prepare for a “challenging” wildfire season

Emergency Minister Bowinn Ma issued the warning Monday afternoon during an update

Emergency Minister Bowinn Ma warns of “tough” wildfire season ahead during an update on seasonal preparedness in Vancouver. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston and Water Minister Nathan Cullen are currently updating the public on the upcoming wildfire season. (Screencap)
With the continuing dry conditions come what BC Wildfire Service calls “holdover” wildfires. They’re fires that burn over winter, often underground, but can resurface during warm and dry temperatures. (Phil McLachlan – Western News)

Precipitation still at a deficit as B.C. nears 2024 wildfire season

90 ‘holdover’ wildfires from the 2023 season and still burning in the province

With the continuing dry conditions come what BC Wildfire Service calls “holdover” wildfires. They’re fires that burn over winter, often underground, but can resurface during warm and dry temperatures. (Phil McLachlan – Western News)
Manitoba Transport Minister Lisa Naylor listens as Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan responds to a question during a news conference following meetings with provincial partners, Wednesday, February 21, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada bracing for the possibility of an even worse wildfire season

Provincial, territorial and federal emergency response leaders work on coordinating response

Manitoba Transport Minister Lisa Naylor listens as Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan responds to a question during a news conference following meetings with provincial partners, Wednesday, February 21, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A missing persons sign hangs outside a school after deadly forest fires affected the Villa Independencia neighborhood of Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Hundreds of people remain missing. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

More than 100 dead, 300 missing after deadly wildfires rage through Chile

Fires in Valparaiso said to be Chile’s deadliest disaster since earthquake in 2010

A missing persons sign hangs outside a school after deadly forest fires affected the Villa Independencia neighborhood of Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Hundreds of people remain missing. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Charges have been laid against a 22-year-old Nova Scotia man for lighting a fire last May that grew to become the largest wildfire in the province’s history. In this aerial image, an aircraft, centre, flies near a wildfire burning near Barrington Lake in Shelburne County, N.S., on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Communications Nova Scotia **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Nova Scotia man charged with igniting massive Barrington Lake wildfire

The fire burned 23,000 hectares before it was brought under control on June 13

Charges have been laid against a 22-year-old Nova Scotia man for lighting a fire last May that grew to become the largest wildfire in the province’s history. In this aerial image, an aircraft, centre, flies near a wildfire burning near Barrington Lake in Shelburne County, N.S., on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Communications Nova Scotia **MANDATORY CREDIT**
A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service says Canada should be on “high alert” for the 2024 wildfire season. A hot spot from the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire burns in Scotch Creek, B.C., on Sunday, August 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

‘High alert’ for 2024 wildfire season issued by Canadian scientist

Canadian Forest Service says it’s early, but reasons for concern are widespread

A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service says Canada should be on “high alert” for the 2024 wildfire season. A hot spot from the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire burns in Scotch Creek, B.C., on Sunday, August 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
British Columbia’s government is seeking public input on how it helps disaster evacuees, in the wake of the province’s worst wildfire season on record. Wildfire evacuees Warren Pullen, left, and veteran Rob Pullen sit outside their trailer in the parking lot at an evacuation centre, in Kelowna, B.C., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. asking wildfire evacuees how it can serve them better

Officials collecting info in advance of 2024 season as it looks to revamp process

British Columbia’s government is seeking public input on how it helps disaster evacuees, in the wake of the province’s worst wildfire season on record. Wildfire evacuees Warren Pullen, left, and veteran Rob Pullen sit outside their trailer in the parking lot at an evacuation centre, in Kelowna, B.C., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The Village of Lytton has issued its first building permit for a singe-family dwelling on Oct. 20, a major milestone for rebuilding. More than 100 residents and supporters of the Village of Lytton gathered for a rally on Oct. 18, 2023. Much of Lytton was destroyed by fire on June 30, 2021, and the rally highlighted the fact that, 840 days later, rebuilding of the town has yet to begin. (Barbara Roden)

Lytton issues 1st building permit following devastating fire

Village says it’s working to streamline processes to make it easier to apply for permits

The Village of Lytton has issued its first building permit for a singe-family dwelling on Oct. 20, a major milestone for rebuilding. More than 100 residents and supporters of the Village of Lytton gathered for a rally on Oct. 18, 2023. Much of Lytton was destroyed by fire on June 30, 2021, and the rally highlighted the fact that, 840 days later, rebuilding of the town has yet to begin. (Barbara Roden)
Nelson is one of three B.C. communities along with two others in Alberta that are included in a study researching transportation scenarios during a potential wildfire evacuation. Photo: Google Maps

How best to evacuate B.C. communities from wildfires centre of unique study

The study is focused on three B.C. communities and two in Alberta

Nelson is one of three B.C. communities along with two others in Alberta that are included in a study researching transportation scenarios during a potential wildfire evacuation. Photo: Google Maps
The 4th Annual Canadian Wildfire Conference was held Oct. 26, 2023 at the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence in Kelowna. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

FireSmart is key to structural protection, Canadian Wildfire Conference

The conference was held in Kelowna

  • Oct 26, 2023
The 4th Annual Canadian Wildfire Conference was held Oct. 26, 2023 at the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence in Kelowna. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)
A large wildfire burns this handout image provided by the Government of Alberta and posted on their social media page. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta- Alberta Wilfire

Alberta taps into AI to predict wildfires before they erupt

AltaML ‘a next-day fire-likelihood forecast’

A large wildfire burns this handout image provided by the Government of Alberta and posted on their social media page. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta- Alberta Wilfire