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☆ British Columbia lifts most travel restrictions as Canada wildfires ease
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The restrictions barred non-essential travel to communities in the province's interior including Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops and were due to expire at midnight. The measure will remain in place for West Kelowna. Flames burned nearly 200 homes in Kelowna and West Kelowna, officials said, but conditions were slowly improving even though smoke continued to blanket the province. "I really am beginning to feel like we're turning the corner here on this fire," West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund told a news conference. "...The efforts in partnership with the federal government, with First Nations and others on recovery has started already," British Columbia Premier David Eby told a news conference in West Kelowna.

Persons: David Eby, Chad Hipolito, Jason Brolund, Columbia Premier David Eby, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: British, REUTERS Acquire, West, Northwest Territories, Flames, Kelowna and, First Nations, Columbia Premier, Thomson Locations: Kamloops, Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, Vernon, West Kelowna, Northwest, Yellowknife, Kelowna and West Kelowna, Hay River, Fort Smith, Alberta

REUTERS/Dan Riedlhuber/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - The fires that tore through the Canadian province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50% more intense, according to the analysis by World Weather Attribution group, a global team of scientists that examines the role played by climate change in extreme weather. "Climate change is greatly increasing the flammability of the fuel available for wildfires – this means that a single spark, regardless of its source, can rapidly turn into a blazing inferno," said Yan Boulanger, a research scientist at Natural Resources Canada. Scientists reviewed weather data, including temperature, windspeed, humidity, and precipitation, and used computer models to assess how climate change had altered fire weather this year, comparing it to preindustrial climate. The Quebec fires are just one sliver of what has been the country's worst wildfire season on record.

Persons: Dan Riedlhuber, Yan Boulanger, Philippe Gachon, Gloria Dickie, Devika Organizations: REUTERS, Natural Resources, University of Quebec, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Thomson Locations: Okanagan Lake, West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, Canadian, Quebec, Natural Resources Canada, Montreal, Yellowknife, Territories, London

☆ At Least 50 Buildings Have Burned in British Columbia Wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Ian Austen | More About Ian Austen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

At least 50 buildings were consumed by wildfires in and around Kelowna, British Columbia, over the past few days, officials said on Monday, warning that the final tally will be higher as their survey of the damage continues. “We’re not done yet, and the most damaged neighborhoods are still to come,” Jason Brolund, the chief of the fire service in West Kelowna, the suburban community most ravaged by fire, said at a news conference on Monday. Attempts by crews to assess the extent of the destruction have been slowed by melted street signs, destroyed address markers on houses and impassable roads, as well as by felled power lines and trees, Chief Brolund said. But since Saturday, he said, a variety of factors have lessened the intensity of the fire, making it easier for fire crews to keep the flames away from buildings. None have been destroyed by the fire for the past 24 hours.

Persons: “ We’re, Jason Brolund, Brolund Locations: Kelowna, British Columbia, West Kelowna

☆ Wildfire-hit British Columbia blanketed with hazardous smoke pollution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] A boat passes under the Lions Gate bridge to enter Vancouver Harbour, shrouded in a haze of wildfire smoke, as seen from Cypress Mountain in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 21, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Acquire Licensing RightsREVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Millions of people in the western Canadian province of British Columbia were under air quality warnings on Monday as hundreds of wildfires filled the skies with smoke and turned the sun orange. In the cities of Kelowna and Kamloops, the air quality index (AQI) was above 350, a "hazardous" level, real-time air quality information platform IQAir showed. Wildfire smoke is a seasonal occurrence for much of heavily-forested British Columbia, but the number of wildfires and amount of land burned is trending higher as a result of climate change, increasing concerns about the impact on human health. "This type of extreme smoke event covering all of our province does not happen every year," said Jalena Bennett, smoke information specialist with BlueSky Canada, adding 2018 was the last time wildfire smoke was so widespread.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Jalena Bennett, Ash, Marie, Eve Hervieux, Bobby Sekhon, Nia Williams, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, British Columbia, BlueSky, Environment, Thomson Locations: Lions, Vancouver, Cypress Mountain, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Rights REVELSTOKE, Canadian, British, Kelowna, Kamloops, Lahore, Pakistan, BlueSky Canada, Shuswap Lake, Environment Canada, Metro Vancouver, Revelstoke

☆ Meta putting profit ahead of safety by blocking wildfire news, says Trudeau
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday criticized Meta (META.O) for blocking domestic news from its platforms, saying the Facebook-parent was prioritizing profit over safety as devastating wildfires force tens of thousands to evacuate their homes. "Facebook is putting corporate profits ahead of people's safety," Trudeau told a televised news conference in the Atlantic province of Prince Edward Island, saying the company's actions were "inconceivable." [1/2]A satellite image shows wildfires burning near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada August 16, 2023. Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFederal Liberal cabinet ministers last week described the ban as reckless and irresponsible. Some people fleeing wildfires complained to domestic media that the ban prevented them from sharing important data about the fires.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Meta, Trudeau, Prince Edward Island, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, David Ljunggren, Mark Porter, Nick Macfie, Sandra Maler Organizations: OTTAWA, Canadian, Facebook, Maxar Technologies, REUTERS, Federal Liberal, Northwest Territories, Thomson Locations: Canada, Atlantic, Prince, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Cornwall, NWT, Kelowna, Ottawa

☆ Cooler conditions bring some hope as Canada wildfires rage on
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 21 (Reuters) - Wildfires ravaging Canada's British Columbia province are showing some signs of easing and the weather conditions should improve through Monday into Tuesday, through crews are still battling "epic" blazes, emergency officials said. Blazes are also raging further north as Canada reels from its worst wildfire season on record, which many experts have blamed on climate change. British Columbia, which sits on Canada's Pacific coast, could get some rains this week from Tropical Storm Hilary, which hit California on Sunday, forecasters have said. The air quality index in many fire-affected areas - including Central Okanagan, Eastern Fraser Valley, Kamloops - hit above 10 on Monday, signaling a high risk, the British Columbia government said. Fires continued to burn about 15 km from Yellowknife and it was unclear when they will reach the city, officials said.

Persons: Hilary, Jerrad Schroeder, Jason Brolund, Brolund, Denny Thomas, Michael Perry, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Canada's, U.S ., Tropical, Kamloops Fire, British Columbia, Government, Northwest Territories, Canada's Department of National Defence, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Thomson Locations: Canada's British Columbia, Canada, U.S, U.S . Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, California, Kamloops, Central Okanagan, Eastern Fraser Valley, British, New York, U.S . East Coast, Yellowknife, Northwest, West Kelowna

☆ Justin Trudeau blasts Facebook for blocking news as Canada’s wildfires rage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted Facebook for “putting corporate profits ahead of people’s safety” as the social media platform continues to block news content while wildfires rage in Canada’s Northwest Territories and British Columbia. Also on Monday, Trudeau described the devastation wrought by the wildfires as “apocalyptic” and praised Canadians for stepping up to support evacuees. The Canadian legislation, known as Bill C-18 or the Online News Act, was given final approval in June. During his remarks Monday, Trudeau said Facebook’s move to block news content is “bad for democracy” in the long run. “But right now, in an emergency situation, where up-to-date local information is more important than ever, Facebook’s putting corporate profits ahead of people’s safety,” Trudeau said.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, ” Trudeau, Trudeau, Meta, “, Bill C, Facebook’s, Brian Fung Organizations: CNN, Canadian, Facebook, Northwest Locations: Canada’s Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Canada, Yellowknife, Kelowna

But that can take time, analysts say, since airlines must manually override automated systems that raise fares in the case of higher demand. Here is a look at how airlines deal with a sudden surge in demand on a particular route. DISASTERS VERSUS HIGH DEMANDAirlines set a range of ticket prices based on factors like purchase timing and demand. They then allocate seats to each fare, explained Chris Amenechi, founder of startup SeatCash, which offers subscribers a product that predicts future flight prices. Travel site Expedia Group (EXPE.O) said air partners set flight prices and availability on its site.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Chris Amenechi, ”, Amenechi, Robert Mann, Mann, Allison Lampert, Doyinsola, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Air Canada, HIGH, CAP, Air, Expedia, Airlines, WestJet Airlines, U.S, Amtrak, Thomson Locations: Okanagan, West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, Yellowknife, Air Canada, Calgary, Maui, Honolulu, U.S, Washington, New York

☆ Canada to deploy military in British Columbia to tackle fast-spreading fires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Summary British Columbia declares state of emergency after wildfiresFlames have led to evacuation orders for more than 35,000 peopleAQI of some British Columbia cities at 'hazardous' levelsREVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Canada is sending the military to tackle fast-spreading wildfires in British Columbia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday, as the western province deals with flames that have led to evacuation orders for more than 35,000 people. In some cities in British Columbia, the air quality index (AQI), which measures major pollutants including particulate matter produced by fires, was above 350, a "hazardous" level, IQAir, a real-time air quality information platform showed. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund said he saw some hope after battling "epic" fires for the past four days. Since 2009, Canada has been spending more on fighting and suppressing wildfires than on maintaining its firefighting personnel and program. In British Columbia, the TransCanada highway was closed near Chase, about 400 km (250 miles) northeast of Vancouver.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Jason Brolund, that's, Brolund, Trudeau, Krista Flesjer, Kip Lumquist, Lumquist, Nia Williams, Dan Whitcomb, Nilutpal, Denny Thomas, Mark Porter, Matthew Lewis, Lisa Shumaker, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Columbia, Flames, British Columbia, Kelowna College, ., Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Reuters, U.S ., Canadian, REUTERS Acquire, Government, Thomson Locations: Columbia, REVELSTOKE, British Columbia, Canada, British, Kelowna, U.S, U.S . Pacific Northwest, Washington, Oregon, Squilax, Kamloops, New York, U.S . East Coast, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Chase, Vancouver, Craigellachie, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

☆ British Columbia wildfires intensify, doubling evacuations to over 35,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A resident sprays water on hot spots near a house in Celista, British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Record-breaking wildfires in Canada, which have already scorched an area larger than Greece, are heading toward key population centers, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. Forest fires in Canada's western province of British Columbia intensified on Saturday, with the number of people under evacuation orders doubling from a day earlier, as authorities warned of difficult days ahead. The fire is centered around Kelowna, a city some 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of Vancouver, with a population of about 150,000. Forest fires are not uncommon in Canada, but the spread of blazes and disruption underscore the severity of its worst wildfire season yet.

Persons: Daniel Eby, Eby Organizations: British Columbia Locations: Celista, British Columbia, Canada, Greece, Canada's, British, Columbia, Kelowna, Vancouver, New York

☆ Fire tourists, drone fliers told to stay clear of British Columbia blazes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People walk on a marina as smoke from wildfires hangs low in the Lake Okanagan city of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada August 19, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Acquire Licensing RightsAug 19 (Reuters) - Wildfire tourists and drone operators who could be impeding the work of firefighters are being told by British Columbia officials that they are unwelcome while fast moving and unpredictable forest fires rage in the Canadian province. More than 35,000 people were under evacuation order by Saturday following British Columbia Premier David Eby's declaration of a state of emergency late on Friday, giving authorities more powers to tackle fire-related risks. Some 3,400 workers are involved in firefighting in British Columbia in western Canada. "Leaving Yellowknife, you're driving into the smoke," the 33-year old said of his 20-hour journey home to Calgary in Alberta province.

Persons: Chris Helgren, British Columbia Premier David Eby's, Bruce Ralston, Eby, Ralston, Ma, that's, Brent Saulnier, I've, Denny Thomas, George Sargent, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, British Columbia, British Columbia Premier, Emergency Management, Climate Readiness, Thomson Locations: Lake Okanagan, Kelowna , British Columbia, Canada, British, Canadian, British Columbia, Canada's Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Calgary, Alberta, Toronto

☆ As fires rage in British Columbia, more residents prepare for evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

By Saturday, more than 35,000 residents were under an evacuation order and another 30,000 were under an evacuation alert. Ministers and government officials urged residents living in evacuation order zones to take immediate action, in the interest of their own lives and that of the firefighters. British Columbia Premier Daniel Eby also imposed a ban on non-essential travel on Saturday, in order to free-up accommodation for evacuees and firefighters. Forest fires are not uncommon in Canada, but the spread of blazes and disruptions underscore the severity of its worst wildfire season yet. The fires have drained local resources and drawn in federal government assistance as well as support from 13 countries.

Persons: Columbia Premier Daniel Eby, Krista Flesjer, Kip Lumquist, Denny Thomas, Kim Coghill Organizations: U.S ., U.S . Pacific Northwest, Ministers, Columbia Premier, Authorities, Government, REUTERS Acquire, Thomson Locations: British Columbia, Kelowna, Vancouver, U.S, U.S . Pacific, Canada, New York, U.S . East Coast, Squilax, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Chase, Hope, Lytton, Craigellachie

☆ British Columbia residents on high alert as wildfires force state of emergency
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Chris Helgren | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Pat Kane Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies City of Yellowknife FollowKELOWNA, British Columbia, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Thousands of British Columbia residents were on high evacuation alert on Saturday after rapidly intensifying wildfires forced the western Canadian province to declare a state of emergency. By Friday, an out-of-control fire in southern British Columbia grew more than hundredfold in 24 hours and forced more than 2,400 properties to be evacuated. "This is an historic wildfire season for British Columbia," Eby told a briefing. "The state of emergency declaration ... communicates to people across the province the seriousness of the deteriorating situation," Eby said. The escalation in British Columbia comes as the northern Canadian city of Yellowknife evacuated most of its roughly 20,000 residents due to a large approaching blaze.

Persons: Pat Kane, Daniel Eby, Eby, Ismail Shakil, Denny Thomas, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Thomson Locations: Yellowknife, Fort Providence, Northwest Territories, Canada, City, KELOWNA , British Columbia, British Columbia, Canadian, Kelowna, Vancouver, British, West Kelowna, New York, Northwest, Ottawa

☆ British Columbia Wildfire in Photos: ‘A Long-Lasting Scar’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Ian Austen | More About Ian Austen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The fire-ravaged Canadian province of British Columbia was under a state of emergency for the second day, as a wildfire in and around the resort city of Kelowna continued to consume houses. The fire is one of two in Canada that have led thousands to evacuate their homes in the last week. Hundreds of miles away from Kelowna, a wildfire converging on the city of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, led officials to order a mass evacuation of the entire town. Officials rated the risk of that wildfire to be extreme on Saturday and Sunday and high on Monday. Rebecca Alty, the mayor of Yellowknife, a city of about 20,000, said an estimated 1,600 residents were defying evacuation orders and remained in the city.

Persons: Rebecca Alty Organizations: British Columbia, Firefighters Locations: Canadian, British, Kelowna, Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

☆ Meta's news ban is preventing Canadians from sharing vital information about the wildfires ripping through western Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Now, residents say the ban has prevented people from sharing vital news as wildfires tear through western Canada. Canadians say Meta's news ban is having tangible consequences as they try to share news about a series of devastating wildfires prompting evacuations in Northwest Territories and British Columbia. Here, residents are posting copied-and-pasted versions of news articles and live reported updates to circumvent the ban and continue sharing vital information about the wildfires. As of August 19, there are more than 200 active wildfires in the Northwest Territories. A Meta spokesperson told Insider in a statement that people in Canada can still use other features to share information about the wildfires.

Persons: Meta, Pascale St, Onge, Poul Osted, Osted Organizations: Canada's, Meta, Google, Facebook, Heritage, Northwest, CBC Locations: Canada, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Yellowknife, Yellowknife —, Kelowna

☆ 2 passengers traveling from Canada to Egypt sued Air Canada for a 56-hour flight delay and won $740 each in compensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two passengers won a lawsuit against Air Canada for a 56-hour delay in their three-leg flight. Two passengers from Kelowna, Canada, won a lawsuit against Air Canada for an international flight delay that set them back by 56 hours. The international flight consisted of three legs: Kelowna to Vancouver, Vancouver to London, England, and London to Cairo. Air Canada claimed the flight delay was due to "air traffic control restraints" and a ground delay program — a procedure used for air traffic control — operated by Nav Canada, which oversees the country's air traffic controllers. Air Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: Abdallah Mohamed, Ghada Ali, Mohamed, Ali, —, Shelley Lopez, AC862, Lopez Organizations: Air Canada, Morning, Air, Vancouver . Air Canada, Nav Canada Locations: Canada, Cairo, Egypt, Kelowna, British Columbia, Air Canada, Vancouver, London, England

Aug 18 (Reuters) - A massive wildfire in Canada's western province of British Columbia prompted more evacuation orders early on Friday, as firefighters race against advancing flames to move all residents from the remote northern city of Yellowknife to safety. The evacuation orders were issued after wildfires that were discovered on Tuesday jumped Lake Okanagan, sparking spot wildfires in Kelowna. The massive fire to the northwest of Yellowknife only advanced by around one kilometer on Thursday, officials said, held back by winds. It is now about 15 km away from the city and authorities expect the fires to reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend. Officials in British Columbia, which has suffered unusually intense blazes this year, warned residents to prepare for extreme fire conditions.

Persons: Nobody, Tebbia Teoncey, Jennifer Gauthier, Mike Westwick, Bowinn Ma, Dan Whitcomb, David Ljunggren, Ismail Shakil, Denny Thomas, Stephen Coates, Sharon Singleton Organizations: British Columbia, REUTERS, Yellowknife, City of, Emergency Management, Thomson Locations: British, Yellowknife, Kelowna, Vancouver, Kelowna ., Northwest Territories, Edmonton , Alberta, Canada, British Columbia, City, City of West Kelowna, Ottawa

Canada’s wildfire plague widened on Friday, with Yellowknife’s 20,000 residents rushing to meet a deadline to evacuate, while blazes hundreds of miles away threatened Kelowna, a much larger city in British Columbia. The mass migration from Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, was the biggest mandatory evacuation so far in Canada’s summer of wildfire disasters. By midday, it remained unclear how many of Yellowknife’s residents had heeded the order as an encroaching fire loomed, but parts of the city appeared empty and most stores appeared closed. In Kelowna, a major resort area, homes on its suburban fringes were on fire and orders to evacuate were decreed in a community where several homes were destroyed on Thursday night and others were burning on Friday.

Locations: Kelowna, British Columbia, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

The city of Phoenix's aviation department, which runs the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, has launched a childcare program for airport workers and plans to build a childcare facility on airport property. Since its launch, 37 airport workers have joined the program, which covers daycare costs partially. At Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia, Canada, construction is underway for a daycare primarily for children of employees who work on airport property. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is similarly weighing offering childcare on-site or nearby in a bid to offer attractive benefits to workers, said airport spokesperson Mindy Kershner. And then there are others - like Jared Barker, a 33-year-old baggage handler at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport who quit and left the industry altogether last year after mass departures during the pandemic led to a heavier workload.

☆ Over 50 hospitalized after Christmas Eve bus crash in British Columbia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Claire Cardona | Claire Cardona Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In Texas. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Dozens of people were taken to hospital late Christmas Eve after a bus accident on a British Columbia highway, Canadian officials said. Medical teams were receiving 53 patients at three hospitals in the cities of Kelowna, Penticton and Merritt, Interior Health said on Twitter late Saturday. Their conditions were not immediately available, but British Columbia’s Interior Health Authority said on its Twitter feed that it had initiated a “Code Orange” response to the accident. “We will make every effort to connect families with patients as soon as possible,” the authority tweeted. A portion of both directions of Highway 97C was closed because of the accident.

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