Wildfire and drought are increasingly the new normal for North American forests. In related news: BC’s Forest Minister is under the gun over wildfire crisis; Premier David Eby met with evacuees in Penticton; Oregon’s Grasshopper fire burned six homes; and California’s Timber Fire threatens hundreds of structures near Big Sur. In Forestry news: New Brunswick’s record drought is blamed for balsam fir die-off; BC pushes back on claims of Crown land transfers to First Nations; and Montana Governor highlights link between forestry and forest health.

In Business news: Western Forest Products reported Q2 net income of $10.5M; the US EPA begins clean-up at Cosmo Specialty Fibers; Canada and the US remain apart on tariff deal; BC Wood received $5.2M through Ottawa’s Regional Tariff Response Initiative; and lawmakers worry about the future of the US hardwood industry. Meanwhile, a UBC-developed biodegradable wood foam enters production; and more on the EU’s new waste packing rules.

Finally, US Census puts wood in 96 of every 100 owner-built American homes.

Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor