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About 2,800 residents from the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and about 450 residents from the Fort Nelson First Nation were asked to evacuate. Wildfire smoke has been linked to increases in certain cancers and heart-related issues, among other ailments. In 2023, 19 counties in 11 states had days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality — given at least a “code purple” alert on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index. Light rain showers were expected overnight Sunday with more rain forecast Monday, “which will help lower fire activity,” a Sunday update from Alberta Wildfire said. Fire restrictions will remain in effect in the area until conditions improve, according to Alberta Wildfire.

Persons: Parker, “, ” Ben Boghean, ” Cliff Chapman, Jaylene, Terry Cavaliere, ” Boghean, Paul, Crews Organizations: CNN, BC Wildfire Service, Northern Rockies Regional, Fort Nelson, Wildfire, Northern Rockies, Fort Nelson First Nation, Environment Canada, Canadian Interagency Fire Centre, Air, Environmental Protection Agency, US, Protection, British Columbia, Alberta, Reuters Residents, Estates, Lake Estates, Fort McMurray, Alberta Wildfire Locations: British Columbia, Fort Nelson, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Parker, Fort, Canada, Maryland, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Saskatchewan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minneapolis, St, United States, British, Grande Prairie Forest, TeePee Creek , Alberta, Regional, Wood Buffalo, Lake

☆ York Fire in Nevada and California spawns 'fire whirls'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Nouran Salahieh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A massive, out-of-control fire burning across both California and Nevada is generating extreme fire behavior, spawning “fire whirls” and creating dangerous conditions for firefighters, authorities said. Firefighters battling the blaze have seen fire whirls – “a vortex of flames and smoke that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, creating a spinning column of fire,” the Mojave National Preserve said Sunday. Crews battlling the York Fire faced "fire whirls" Sunday in the Mojave National Preserve, California. Ty O'Neil/AP“These fire whirls are similar to dust devils but are specifically associated with the heat and energy released by a wildfire,” the Mojave National Preserve said. The struggle to control the York Fire has allowed smoke to reach into Nevada and southern Utah, the fire incident overview noted.

Persons: Crews, Ty O'Neil, “, Carr, Jesse Winter, Jeffrey Todd, Erick Thompson, SpokanSector, Hayden Organizations: CNN, York, US, California -, Firefighters, Preserve, National Interagency Fire Center, National Interagency, Center, Reuters, British Columbia Wildfire Service, Regional, of, US Border Patrol Spokane Sector, Facebook, Forest, US Forest Service Locations: California, Nevada, New, Canadian, California - Nevada, , California, Redding , California, Utah, East Las Vegas , Boulder City, Henderson, Clark County , Nevada, Canada, Washington, Washington’s Okanogan County, Bluff, British, Osoyoos, of Okanagan, Oroville, ”, Challis, Leadore , Idaho

☆ Evacuation order issued for Canadian town as wildfire crosses over from US
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/7] A long exposure image shows the Eagle Bluffs Wildfire, which crossed the border from the U.S. state of Washington, and prompted evacuation orders in Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Jesse WinterJuly 30 (Reuters) - An evacuation order for the Canadian town of Osoyoos and its surrounding district has been issued due to an out-of-control wildfire that has crossed the border from the U.S. state of Washington. The wildfire, called Eagle Bluff, is approximately 4 kilometres (2.49 miles) from Osoyoos, according to the British Columbia Wildfire Service. Osoyoos and the regional district of Okanagan-Similkameen issued the alert late Saturday night, citing "potential danger to life and health". The evacuation order covers the area north of the Canada-United States border to the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 3, as well as west and north along Highway 3.

Persons: Jesse Winter, Rishabh, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, British Columbia Wildfire Service, Similkameen, Thomson Locations: U.S ., Washington, Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada, British, Okanagan, United States, Bengaluru

CNN —Smoke from more than 1,000 wildfires burning across Canada has wafted over the northern US, bringing poor air quality and pollution that threaten residents’ health to northern US cities including Chicago, Illinois, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bulk of the country’s wildfires are burning in British Columbia, where more than 460 fires are ongoing, the agency reports. The EPA in Illinois has declared an “Air Pollution Action Day” through Tuesday due to the “persistent” wildfire smoke causing elevated air pollution in the region. Wildfire smoke is packed with tiny pollutants – known as particulate matter – that can infiltrate the lungs and blood stream if inhaled. Hundreds of British Columbia’s fires have been ignited by lightning strikes from thunderstorms, according to the British Columbia Wildfire Service.

Persons: Wednesday – Organizations: CNN, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, National Weather Service, Wednesday, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Canada, British Columbia, Canadian Armed Forces, Public Safety Canada, British Columbia Wildfire Service Locations: Canada, Chicago , Illinois, Minneapolis , Minnesota, Chicago , Minneapolis, Detroit , Michigan, Great, British Columbia, Michigan, Minnesota , Wisconsin , Illinois, Indiana, Montana, Vermont, Alabama, Midwest, Minneapolis, Chicago, Illinois, Wisconsin, Europe, Australia, Brazil, British

☆ Opinion: ‘Dear Canada…’ an American firefighter’s heartfelt letter to north of the border
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Opinion Clare Frank | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This means agencies creating the wildland-urban interface or WUI — where human settlements meet the natural environment — are not ultimately responsible for protecting it. By my fifth year in firefighting, I’d seen plenty of wildfires and structure fires, and wildfires threatening structures. As we convoyed in, a battalion chief instructed each engine company, “If it’s not savable, leapfrog to the next house. Smoke rises from the Texas Creek wildfire south of Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada, on July 9. In this banner year, some are crying for Canada to form a national fire department.

Persons: Clare Frank, Read, Cynthia Smalley, nature’s, partiers, leapfrog, Luis Ascui, they’d, ember, Smokey Bear, “, it’s, Canada’s Organizations: CNN, CNN —, Del, Getty, Australia, Service, Reuters, Twitter, Facebook Locations: California’s, United States, Pebble Beach , California, Del Monte Forest, Kinglake, Victoria, Australia, Canada, Texas, Lillooet, British Columbia, California, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France

☆ Canada wildfire smoke drifts into US and triggers new air quality alerts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Eric Zerkel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A recent outbreak of wildfires in western Canada is again sending a plume of unhealthy smoke into the United States. The smoke could also cause issues in Iowa and Illinois, including Chicago, which experienced some of the worst air quality in the world amid heavy smoke in late-June. On Friday, the encroaching smoke dropped air quality in parts of Montana and North Dakota to code red, or unhealthy levels on the Air Quality Index, and to code orange, or unhealthy for sensitive groups, in Minnesota, according to airnow.gov. One firefighter died Thursday responding to one of the blazes near Revelstoke, British Columbia, a press release from the firefighter’s union said. “The news from British Columbia – that one of the firefighters bravely battling wildfires has lost her life – is heartbreaking,” Trudeau said.

Persons: Pete Laing, Justin Trudeau, “, –, ” Trudeau, ” Organizations: CNN, Montana and, Centers for Disease Control, BC Wildfire Service, Indiana ., Indiana . British Columbia, Canadian, Twitter, British Columbia Locations: Canada, United States, Midwest, Minnesota , Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Chicago, Canadian, Quebec, New York, Montana, Montana and North Dakota, Minnesota, Kamloops , British Columbia, Canada’s province, British Columbia, Indiana . British, Revelstoke , British Columbia, British

☆ Record heat meets record wildfires in Canada, and scientists say this is the new reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

"This is the new reality, not the new normal, because we're on a downward spiral," Flannigan told CNBC. "The current wildfire season in Canada has been astounding and record breaking," Dahl told CNBC. "I'm not sure where we're going to end up with this because it keeps keeps on burning," Flannigan told CNBC. "The warmer it gets, the atmosphere gets more efficient at sucking the moisture out of the fuels," Flannigan told CNBC. For example, the mountain pine beetle is killing trees and turning them into fuel for wildfires, Burch told CNBC.

Persons: Kristina Dahl, Michael Flannigan, it's, Flannigan, Dahl, We're, I'm, Hope, we've, I've, Sarah Burch, Burch, David Dee Delgado, It's, You've, we're Organizations: BC, Service, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Union of Concerned, CNBC, Thompson Rivers University British Columbia, Natural Resources, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Fort, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Canadian Forest Service, University of Waterloo, Waterloo Climate Institute Locations: Lake, British Columbia, Canada, Natural Resources Canada, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Maine, Northwest Territories, North America, Alberta, Waterloo, New York City, United States

☆ Smoke will keep pouring into the US as long as fires are burning in Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Massive fires burning in remote areas – like some of those currently burning in northwestern Quebec – are often too out of control to do anything about. Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images Smoke from wildfires in Canada shrouds the view of the Statue of Liberty on Friday in New York. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Smoke and haze is seen from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, June 27. Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images Smoke from Canadian wildfires obscures the visibility in Pittsburgh on June 8. Another issue is the increase in the wildfires are caused by climate change, and are simultaneously making climate change worse.

Persons: ” Robert Gray, you’ve, they’re, “ There’s, don’t, ”, Daniel Perrakis, ” Gray, Shiraaz Mohamed, Gray, “, ” Perrakis, Ed Jones, David Dee Delgado, Gary Hershorn, Haze, Gene J, Jim Watson, Megan Smith, Kamil Krzaczynski, Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Drew Angerer, Shannon Stapleton, Ronald Reagan, Saul Loeb, Matt McClain, Emmalee Reed, Hannah Beier, Mandel Ngan, New York City, Timothy A, Clary, Mike Segar, John Minchillo, Shanita Hancle, Seth Wenig, Matt Rourke, Ting Shen, Matt Slocum, Amr Alfiky, John Meore, Leah Millis, George Washington, Peter Carr, Yuki Iwamura, Kareem Elgazzar, Carlos Osorio, Frank Franklin II, Merrily Cassidy, Spencer Colby, Jason Rock, BJ Fuchs, Anne, Sophie Thill, we’ve, it’s Organizations: CNN, Canadian Forest Service, Firefighters, Getty, ” “, Nature Conservancy, Rockefeller Center, North, Corbis, PNC Park, Major League Baseball, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Traffic, Chesapeake, Lincoln Memorial, USA, People, Canadian Forces, Reuters, BC, Service, Xinhua, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Capitol, Trade, AP Transit, T, Alberta Wildfire, New, New York City, Getty Images Workers, Citizens Bank, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Empire, George Washington Bridge, New York State Thruway, Cincinnati Enquirer, Cape Cod Times, Anadolu Agency, Canadian Press, AP, Wildfire Service, Communications, Space, NASA, Reuters Firefighters, Kamloops Fire Rescue, Shining Bank Locations: Wisconsin, Vermont, North Carolina, Canada, Quebec, Canadian, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, France, AFP, New Jersey, Manhattan, New York, North America, New, Pittsburgh, Stevensville , Maryland, Washington ,, Chicago, Lake Michigan, Mistissini, Ronald Reagan Washington, Arlington , Virginia, Washington, Philadelphia, Elmont , New York, Baltimore, Evansburg , Alberta, Brooklyn , New York, Piermont , New York, Fort Lee , New Jersey, George, West Nyack, New York's, New York City, Cincinnati, Rock Harbor, Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Ottawa, Fort Nelson, Shelburne County , Nova Scotia, Communications Nova Scotia, Shelburne , Nova Scotia, Fort St, John, Kamloops, Shining Bank , Alberta, Lytton

☆ As Canada's wildfires intensify, recruiting firefighters is tougher
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

That's roughly 2,500 firefighters short of what is needed, said Mike Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia and wildfire specialist. "It's hard work, it's hot work, it's smoky work, and there are real issues with health impacts longer-term," Flannigan said. Applications were down in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and Alberta had to do several rounds of recruitment to fill its ranks, officials said. As more wildfires threaten communities, provincial agencies are also increasingly leaning on structural firefighters to help protect homes. Since 2009, Canada has been spending more on fighting and suppressing wildfires than on maintaining its firefighting personnel and program.

Persons: Mike Flannigan, Flannigan, Scott Tingley, Rob Schweitzer, Ken McMullen, David Ljunggren, Ismail Shakil, Denny Thomas, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Reuters, Thompson Rivers University, Nova, Wildfire, BC Wildfire Service, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Emergency Preparedness, Thomson Locations: BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada, Yukon, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Canada's, Manitoba, Lithuania, Quebec, Ottawa

☆ Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Smoke billows upwards from the Donnie Creek wildfire (G80280) south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 11, 2023. Wildfire Service/Handout via REUTERSOTTAWA, June 12 (Reuters) - Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. "If you look at western Canada, it's completely covered by the smoke and that continues into Tuesday," federal meteorologist Gerald Cheng told reporters on Monday. "The risk for smoke is very high because the winds are really transporting the smoke throughout Alberta today and even into Tuesday." (Click here to read what health experts say about wildfire smoke.)

Persons: it's, Gerald Cheng, Cheng, Anita, Ismail Shakil, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS OTTAWA, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, TC Energy, Health, U.S ., Canadian Defence, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Netherlands, Europe, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Edson, Edmonton, McMurray, U.S . East Coast, Alberta , Nova Scotia, Ottawa

REUTERS/Carlos OsorioWINNIPEG, Manitoba, June 11 (Reuters) - The number of wildfires raging out of control across Quebec dropped on Sunday as firefighters in the Canadian province gained the upper hand in some areas, a provincial minister said on Sunday. Quebec Natural Resources Minister Maite Blanchette Vezina said told reporters that the number of out-of-control fires in the eastern province dropped to 44 from 72 on Saturday, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported. By Monday, around 1,200 firefighters, including more than 100 from France and some from other provinces, are expected to be battling blazes across Quebec. A federal government meteorologist forecast on Saturday that Quebec could receive light rain on Tuesday in some burning areas. "Last Wednesday, we thought we could close down our emergency control center and come Friday, that idea went out the door when the fires went out of control very drastically," said Luc Mercier, chief administrative officer for Yellowhead County.

Persons: smokey, Carlos Osorio, Maite Blanchette Vezina, Blanchette Vezina, Luc Mercier, Karley, Rod Nickel, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Carlos Osorio WINNIPEG, Quebec Natural Resources, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Edmonton, Wildfire Service, Thomson Locations: Ontario, Quebec, Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Carlos Osorio WINNIPEG , Manitoba, Canadian, France, New Brunswick, Alberta, Edson, Yellowhead County, Pacific, British Columbia, Tumbler, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Rey Steve Mabiala and his wife, Liz Gouari, taking refuge at the Roberval emergency center after being ordered to evacuate Chibougamau, Quebec, as a fire approached. Of the more than 400 fires now burning in Canada, more than one-third are in Quebec, which has already registered its worst wildfire season on record. Credit... Carlos Osorio/Reuters“We are facing some unprecedented events, including droughts, accelerated fires and heat waves, and there will be more over time, especially forest fires,” Ms. Mohsin said. But perhaps most surprised were newcomers to Chibougamau, like Mr. Mabiala, from the Republic of Congo, who came to work in logging. “They were asking, “Oh, is there such a thing in Canada?’ ’’ Ms. Cabrera said.

Persons: Rey Steve Mabiala, Liz Gouari, Gouari, Mabiala, Prince Edward Island, ” Mr, “ It’s, ”, Josée Poitras, Tanzina Mohsin, Carlos Osorio, Ms, Mohsin, Poitras, “ I’ve, I’ve, Francis Côté, “, Chibougamau, Renaud Philippe, Côté, Guy Boisvert, Winters, Boisvert, Shirley, Jonathan Mattson, Mr, Mattson, Ruth Cabrera, Anna Huerte, —, Cabrera, Huerte Organizations: Wildfire, University of Toronto, ., Reuters, The New York Times, “, Credit Locations: Chibougamau, Quebec, Africa, Canada, North America, Republic of Congo, Prince, Nunavut, Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Toronto, Val, Montreal, Roberval, East Coast, United States, Philippines

☆ Canada on track for its worst-ever wildfire season
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Smoke billows upwards from a planned ignition by firefighters tackling the Donnie Creek Complex wildfire south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 3, 2023. OTTAWA, June 5 (Reuters) - Canada is on track for its worst-ever year of wildfire destruction as warm and dry conditions are forecast to persist through to the end of the summer after an unprecedented start to the fire season, officials said on Monday. "The rate of increase of area burned is also high ... if this rate continues, we could hit record levels for area burned this year," he said. "Over the last 20 years, we have never seen such a large area burned so early in the season," said Yan Boulanger, a researcher with Natural Resources Canada. "Partially because of climate change, we're seeing trends toward increasing burned area throughout Canada."

Persons: Michael Norton, Norton, Yan Boulanger, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS, Natural Resources, Flames, Wallbridge Mining Company, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, OTTAWA, Quebec, Atlantic, of Nova Scotia, Natural Resources Canada, Alberta, United States, Ottawa

☆ Alberta wildfire fighters hope rain, cooling bring relief
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Smoke rises from the Stoddart Creek wildfire near Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada May 13, 2023. Amid hot, dry conditions, forecasters were tracking a front likely to move into the province on Sunday that should bring much-needed relief, including humidity and even rain, Christie Tucker, information unit manager at Alberta Wildfire, said at a Saturday briefing. "That will help us more than a short burst that would bring lightning and could spark a new wildfire." Alberta is enduring energy production cuts, home evacuations and poor air quality after an intense start to the wildfire season. This year, Alberta Wildfire responded to 496 wildfires burning more than 842,000 hectares, compared with just 459 hectares in 2022.

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