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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

☆ Canadian wildfire emissions double previous record as flames rage on
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The estimated Canadian fires emissions account for over 25% of the global total for 2023 to date, and are well above the previous Canadian record of 138 million tonnes registered in 2014, Copernicus said on Thursday. This year's wildfire season is also the worst on record for area burned, with about 131,000 square kilometres (50,579 square miles) already scorched across eastern and western Canada. Wildfire smoke is linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and more visits to emergency rooms for respiratory conditions. It's estimated that Canada's northern boreal forest stores more than 200 billion tonnes of carbon — equivalent to several decades worth of global carbon emissions. The carbon released is roughly equivalent to Indonesia's annual carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.

Persons: Jesse Winter, Copernicus, Mark Parrington, Ismail Shakil, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, OTTAWA, Atmospheric Monitoring Service, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, New, Thomson Locations: Canada, U.S, Washington, Osoyoos, British Columbia, Greece, New York City, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ BC wildfires: Explosive Washington fire burns across Canadian border and forces evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Mary Gilbert | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —An out-of-control blaze burning in northern Washington state exploded in size, crossed the Canadian border and set off a cascade of evacuations over the weekend. Evacuations were ordered on Saturday for more than 700 properties in the Canadian town of Osoyoos, British Columbia, after the fire crossed the border. The fire remains completely uncontained in both countries, according to Washington and Canadian fire officials. The United States’ fire season has been pacing below average in terms of acres burned so far this year. The US wildfire season may pick up pace as August arrives.

Persons: ”, Jesse Winter, “, ” Bruce Ralston Organizations: CNN, National Interagency Fire, York, United, National Interagency, Center, Environment Canada, Forests, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Locations: Washington, Washington’s Okanogan County, Canadian, Osoyoos, British Columbia, Okanogan County , Washington, Canada, Southern, California, Nevada, United States, Pacific Northwest, Mississippi

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

☆ Up in Smoke: Canada’s Outdoor Summer Season
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Vjosa Isai | More About Vjosa Isai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fishing trips to Canada are a tradition for Jeffrey Hardy and his three friends from Vermont. They have, since 2001, been anglers loyal to Quebec’s northern wilderness, where the walleye are plentiful and the cellphone service is not. This summer, the crisp forest air coveted by recreationists visiting Canada was instead polluted with smoke as wildfires have torn through millions of acres, blocking roads, destroying campgrounds and forcing tourism operators to scramble during peak season. “Everybody was excited to go because Canada had been shut down for all of Covid.”The country’s worst wildfire season on record is straining the outdoor segments of Canada’s tourism industry at a crucial time in its rebound from years of pandemic travel restrictions. Of the 28.6 million acres that have burned across the country so far, more than 11.6 million acres were in Quebec, the most of any province, according to data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Persons: Jeffrey Hardy, ”, Hardy Organizations: recreationists, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Locations: Canada, Vermont, St, Albans, Vt, Bermuda, Quebec

☆ 9-year-old Canadian boy dies after suffering asthma attack worsened by wildfire smoke, parents say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Sara Smart | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A 9-year-old boy died last week in British Columbia after having an asthma attack during the ongoing wildfires in Canada. Carter Vigh had asthma his entire life and always carried his inhaler, his parents, James and Amber Vigh, told CNN Canadian partner, CBC. Carter’s parents told CBC that their son died July 11 after visiting the emergency room for an asthma attack. Carter was at a water park with friends earlier in the day when the air was clearer and then went to a birthday party, his parents told CBC. We were so diligent,” his parents told CBC.

Persons: Carter Vigh, James, Amber Vigh, Carter, ”, “, ” Carter, “ I’m, ” Amber Organizations: CNN, CBC, Service, Canadian Interagency, Canadian, British Columbia Locations: British Columbia, Canada, British, Williams

☆ How Canada’s Record Wildfires Got So Bad, So Fast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Nadja Popovich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

How Canada’s Record Wildfires Got So Bad, So FastWildfires in Canada have burned a staggering 25 million acres so far this year, an area roughly the size of Kentucky. With more than a month of peak fire season left to go, 2023 has already eclipsed Canada’s previous annual record from 1989, when over 18 million acres were scorched. Hot, dry conditions have fueled widespread wildfires, mostly in Canada’s boreal forests, since the spring, with some of the largest blazes burning in Northwest Canada and Quebec. A heat wave baked British Columbia and Alberta in mid-May, exacerbating several early wildfires. More than 100 times over the past three months, Canadian wildfires have grown sufficiently large and powerful to produce their own weather, kicking up giant thunderclouds known as pyrocumulonibus, and injecting smoke high into the atmosphere.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Kamau, Kamau, “, González, Mike Flannigan, Yan Boulanger, Flanningan Organizations: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Madison Dong, Thompson Rivers University, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Times Locations: Canada, Kentucky, Northwest Canada, Quebec, North America, International, United States, Madison, Columbia, Alberta, Northern Canada, Thompson, Kamloops , British Columbia, California

☆ 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

How has the smoke affected air quality in the American Midwest? Image Chicago on Tuesday, where the Air Quality Index reached “very unhealthy” levels. Canada wildfires Burned Hotspots Source: Canadian Wildland Fire Information SystemHow far has Canadian wildfire smoke spread? In Canada, Environment Canada warned Tuesday that air quality would deteriorate overnight in Toronto, Canada’s largest city and financial capital. Poor air quality has also buffeted Montreal, where the sun has appeared in recent days as a lurid red dot.

Persons: Kamil Krzaczynski, Judson Jones Organizations: NASA, Agence France, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Environment Locations: Canada, Quebec, American, Europe, Coast, United States, New York City, Washington, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Swiss, Green Bay, Wis, Grand Rapids, Mich, East, ., Portugal, Spain, France, Toronto, Canada’s, Montreal, Mont Tremblant, Ontario, New York

This year's wildfire season is the worst on record in Canada, with some 76,000 square kilometres (29,000 square miles) burning across eastern and western Canada. "The difference is eastern Canada fires driving this growth in the emissions more than just western Canada," said Copernicus senior scientist Mark Parrington. The carbon they have released is roughly equivalent to Indonesia's annual carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. It's estimated that Canada's northern boreal forest stores more than 200 billion tonnes of carbon — equivalent to several decades worth of global carbon emissions. Canada's wildfire season typically peaks in late July or August, with emissions continuing to climb throughout the summer.

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Copernicus, Mark Parrington, Parrington, there's, David Evans, Ed Osmond Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, Atmospheric Monitoring, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, New, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Alberta, British Columbia, New York City, Toronto, Ontario, Europe

CNN —Over 80 million people from the Midwest to the East Coast are under air quality alerts as smoke from the Canadian wildfires sweep across the US border Tuesday, prompting beach closures, warnings about reduced visibility and calls to stay indoors. Chicago and Detroit had the worst air quality in the world Tuesday night. Detroit’s air at one point reached a “very unhealthy”Air Quality Index of 203, before dropping below 200 to the “unhealthy” level, according to IQAir. Chicago registered an Air Quality Index of 175 late Tuesday. “The most protective option when air is unhealthy for you is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities.

Persons: Copernicus, –, “, Kathy Hochul Organizations: CNN, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, National Weather Service, . Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, Facebook, Drivers, Mackinac Bridge Authority, Michigan Department of Health, Human Services, Indianapolis, ., New, ”, New York State, Coordinating Agency, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Midwest, East, Canada, Iowa , Wisconsin , Illinois , Indiana , Michigan, Delaware, Maryland, Kansas , Missouri, Minnesota , Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Chicago, Detroit, IQAir, Evanston , Illinois, Michigan, Mackinac, . New York, New York City, New, ” In Ohio, NY, Cleveland, Ohio

CNN —Canada has officially marked its worst wildfire season on record, with smoke from the blazes crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reaching western Europe on Monday. Canada has had a dramatic start to wildfire season, with at least 18,688,691 acres already charred across the country. Wildfire activity in Canada typically peaks from June to August, leaving more than half of the peak season still to come. As a result of the unprecedented start to the wildfire season, this year has become the worst fire season on record, surpassing the previous benchmark set in 1995 for the total area burned. The record wildfire season continues to impact air quality throughout parts of North America.

Organizations: CNN, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, UK Met Office, Met Office, Twitter, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre ., ., National Weather Service Locations: Canada, Europe, New York City, United Kingdom, Norway, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre . Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, North America, Ottawa, . Wisconsin , Michigan, Indiana

☆ Fact Check-Clips show fire-fighting helicopters, not Canadian wildfires being intentionally started
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Footage of helicopters using flame-throwing torches to light fires has been misrepresented online, with social media posts claiming the clips show that the 2023 Canadian wildfires are being lit deliberately. This clip shows footage published on June 2, 2023 by the British Columbia (BC) Fire System (youtu.be/tTKSmdrfzqU?t=9), (youtu.be/tTKSmdrfzqU?t=15). According to the description of the video, it depicts a planned ignition on the Donnie Creek wildfire with a Heli-torch. There is also no evidence that aerial ignition caused the Canada wildfires, contrary to what these social media posts say. Footage shows planned fires ignited from helicopters, which are used to combat wildfires not deliberately light them.

Persons: ”, Read Organizations: U.S . Forest Service, Heli, Reuters, Facebook, Yukon, Nations, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Locations: U.S, British Columbia, Canada, Quebec, Atlantic Canada

☆ Fact Check-Viral video of satellite images is not evidence that Quebec fires were orchestrated attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Satellite images captured fires in Quebec spreading rapidly throughout June 2 and experts have attributed these fires to documented weather conditions. A YouTube video pulled out multiple hours of footage from a website showing satellite imagery of Quebec, from June 1 to the end of June 2 (here). Moreover, wildfire experts contacted by Reuters said that given the combination of various weather conditions, this fire activity witnessed on June 2 was not unexpected. It features a green marker at the bottom that speeds through multiple hours of satellite footage when pressing play. A video depicting satellite images of Quebec shows existing fires quickly growing on June 2 due to documented weather conditions.

Persons: ”, Gilbert Sebenste, SOPFEU, James Randerson, Chris Stockdale, Stockdale, Mathieu Bourbonnais, it’s, Read Organizations: ” Reuters, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Reuters, College Of DuPage, College of DuPage, Earth, UC Irvine, Natural Resources, Canadian Forest Service, Weather, University of British Locations: Quebec, Canada, TikTok, Illinois, Natural Resources Canada, University of British Columbia

☆ 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

Around 2,500 people were told to evacuate the community of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia on Thursday. A video distributed by the British Columbia fire service showed deserted streets in Tumbler Ridge, while nearby forests were ablaze. Smoke rises from a wildfire in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, in this screen grab taken from a video, June 8, 2023. Temperatures in parts of British Columbia soared to more than 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) this week, nearly 10 C above the seasonal average. Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Nia Williams in British Columbia and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Stephen Coates, Jane Merriman, Chris Reese and Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Darcy Dober, Maite Blanchette Vezina, Gerald Cheng, Hicham Ayoun, Ismail Shakil, Nia Williams, Allison Lampert, Stephen Coates, Jane Merriman, Chris Reese, Frances Kerry Organizations: OTTAWA, British Columbia, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, BC Wildlife Service, REUTERS, Environment, Transport Canada, Thomson Locations: Canadian, British, Quebec, North, Canada, Tumbler, British Columbia, Dawson Creek, Ridge, Ontario, Environment Canada, Alberta, Ottawa, Toronto , New York, Washington, New York, Montreal

BRITISH COLUMBIA/OTTAWA, June 9 (Reuters) - Wildfires spread in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on Friday, while hundreds of fires continued to burn on the other side of the country in Quebec, sending wildfire smoke billowing across North American cities. Around 2,500 people were told to evacuate the community of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia on Thursday afternoon. Temperatures in parts of British Columbia soared to more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) this week, nearly 10 degrees above the seasonal average. [1/2] Smoke rises from a wildfire in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, in this screen grab taken from a video, June 8, 2023. Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Albertans, François Legault, Nia Williams, Stephen Coates Organizations: British Columbia, BC Wildlife Service, REUTERS, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Thomson Locations: BRITISH COLUMBIA, OTTAWA, Canadian, British, Quebec, North, Tumbler, British Columbia, Peace, Alberta, Ridge, Canada, United States, Ottawa, Toronto , New York, Washington, Ontario, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, U.S

☆ 'Don't go outside unless you really have to': Everything you need to know and how to stay safe during the Canada wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

There were more than 400 wildfires burning in Canada on Tuesday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, causing unhealthy smoke conditions from New York to Michigan. As of Wednesday June 7, New York City was the city with the worst air quality on Earth, according to IQAir. For New York residents, an air quality advisory was shared in multiple regions. It indicates that fine particles in the air have reached an unhealthy level, especially for sensitive groups. I wish I knew that for sure, but it all depends on what happens in Canada so people should pay attention to that."

Persons: Colin McCarthy, It's, Adrian Pristas Organizations: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Twitter, New, Hackensack Meridian, Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center Locations: U.S, Canada, New York, Michigan, New York City, NYC, Hackensack Meridian Bayshore

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