Credit: KRWeiss
Coulson Aviation — based in Port Alberni, B.C. — operates three Boeing CH-47 Chinook helitankers with tanks that hold more than 11,000 litres, as well as an “over-watch helicopter that runs intelligence,” including thermal imaging when deployed at night. The “aerial firefight” has been essential as blistering winds have prevented groundcrews from accessing the flames, said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Aviation. Coulson said the company has dropped more than a million gallons — or 4.5 million litres — of water over the fires in the last week, 70 per cent of which was released at night… Quebec’s contribution is expanding with two more water bombers heading to California on Wednesday. Quebec’s two extra CL-415 aircraft bring the province’s total California aid package to four water bombers, 12 pilots and six technicians.
Alberta will join other Canadian provinces helping battle raging wildfires in Los Angeles, the largest in the California city’s history. The province announced Thursday it’s preparing to deploy an incident command team and additional wildfire-fighting resources to support California, including water bombers and night-vision helicopters. Thousands of firefighters have been battling roaring flames that have left neighbourhoods in ruin and burned thousands of structures, while killing at least five people. “Good neighbours are always there for each other in times of need, and we will assist our American friends in any way they need during this crisis,” Premier Danielle Smith wrote on X. …In fighting the Palisades fire, the Los Angeles water system “buckled” under the demand, as some hydrants ran dry, hindering firefighting efforts. According to the Los Angeles Times, more than 2,000 structures have burned and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders due to the wildfires.
Jason Brolund, the fire chief in West Kelowna, a community devastated by a fast-moving wildfire in 2023 says it’s “haunting” to see similar circumstances playing out in Southern California. Brolund says the images from the Los Angeles area … are so familiar and vivid that some of his firefighters won’t look at them. West Kelowna bore the brunt of the McDougall Creek fire in August 2023, when it descended on neighbourhoods surrounding Okanagan Lake and destroyed or damaged almost 200 properties. In Southern California, flames fanned by high winds have devastated communities, spreading in a manner similar to what West Kelowna encountered in 2023. …”We watch California closely,” Brolund says. “We have for many years. They are considered a bellwether — what they are experiencing now, potentially five to 10 years (from) now, could be something that we see in our region.
OTTAWA – Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan says dozens of firefighters from Alberta and British Columbia will help fight wildfires in California, and the federal government is co-ordinating efforts with the provinces to deploy resources. Sajjan says in a social media post that 60 firefighters from the two provinces will be deployed as soon as Monday, and that Canadian officials are working to identify and prepare more resources to send in the days ahead. He says in the post that, “Our American friends have asked for help to fight the wildfires in California and Team Canada is responding,” and he concludes with, “Neighbours helping neighbours.” A spokeswoman for Sajjan confirms in an email that Canada has received and approved an official request for help. Alberta announced last week that it is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.
POMPTON LAKES, N.J. — Fire crews on both coasts of the United States continued battling wildfires on Sunday, including a blaze in New York and New Jersey that killed a parks employee and another in Southern California that destroyed more than 130 structures and damaged dozens more. Firefighters continued making progress against a wildfire northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County that broke out Wednesday and quickly exploded in size due to dry, warm and gusty Santa Ana winds. The Mountain Fire prompted thousands of residents to flee their homes and was 26% contained as of Sunday, up from 21% the previous day. The fire’s size remains around 32 square miles. …Meanwhile, New York State Police said they were investigating the death of 18 year-old Dariel Vasquez, who died when a tree fell on him Saturday afternoon as he battled a major brush fire in New York state’s Greenwood Lake near the New Jersey line.
PACIFIC PALISADES, California − Firefighters were progressing in their battle against two massive wildfires as winds eased early Thursday, bringing a respite to frustrated and beleaguered residents across Los Angeles County who have been on edge for over a week. All “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warnings largely expired by Wednesday night without causing any significant fire growth, according to the National Weather Service. But dry conditions and locally gusty winds were forecast to linger into Thursday − particularly in the mountains, the weather service warned. According to the weather services, temperatures were also expected to drop five to 10 degrees below normal for the remainder of the week, and Friday is predicted to be the coldest. “Good news,” the weather service’s Los Angeles office said. “Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected.”
Foreboding weather forecasts keep tensions high in Los Angeles as one of North America’s largest cities battles wildfires that have already claimed at least two dozen lives and thousands of homes. Here are some data points that put into context the peril the city is in. The most destructive fires in California history — and how they compare to Canada’s largest wildfire: Palisades and Eaton fires are already among the most destructive in California’s history, scorching more than 10,000 structures in just a matter of days. With persistent winds in the forecast, those numbers could climb even higher. For context, Canada’s most devastating wildfire — in Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2016—destroyed an estimated 2,400 structures.
Fires burning homes and businesses in Los Angeles for a week have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive conflagrations in the nation’s history. The blazes started Jan. 7, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds that have posed problems for the large forces of firefighters deployed across several areas of the sprawling city. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fires. They could be the nation’s costliest ever.
ARIZONA — The Horton Fire northeast of Payson burned more than 600 acres of forest by Saturday and was 0% contained, according to the authorities with the Tonto National Forest. Nearly 150 firefighters and personnel battled the wildfire that threatened nearby communities of Tonto Creek Estates, Tonto Christian Camp, Tonto Fish Hatcher and Zane Grey Cabins, which were on a pre-evacuation “set” status and must be prepared to leave at the notice of authorities. The fire started Dec.14 and caused an emergency closure of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and Tonto National Forest earlier this week. The forest closures would remain in place through Jan. 31, 2025, according to authorities.
Crews with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service are fighting a wildfire in Ocean County. Officials say that the fire is near Pine Park and the Lakewood Country Club in Lakewood. As of Monday evening, the fire is impacting 33 acres of land and is 20% contained. Officials say that no buildings are in danger because of this fire. They previously stated that six buildings were threatened. No evacuation orders have been given. …The fire comes as New Jersey experiences a record-breaking dry spell. There is currently a drought warning in effect. Officials say that New Jersey is in a Stage 3 fire restriction because of drought conditions. According to the state Forest Fire Service, crews have responded to over 500 wildfires since October. They say that this is over a 1,300% increase in wildfires over the same time last year.
NEWCASTLE, Australia — Communities and firefighters across Australia’s second-most populous state were preparing Thursday for potentially devastating wild fires as a heat wave fanned by erratic winds presented the worst fire conditions in several years. With temperatures in Victoria state reaching 37 degrees Celsius and with wind changes expected throughout the day, fire chiefs have issued stark warnings to rural communities to delay travel or leave their homes and seek safety at shelters. Several fires are currently burning out of control across the state and Victoria deputy premier Ben Carroll said the possibility for further fires in the coming days was likely. …Parts of neighboring South Australia and New South Wales states are also on high alert due to the heat wave and elevated fire risks. The hot, dry conditions are being compared to the Black Summer fires in 2019-20 that burned through 104 thousand square kilometers, and destroyed thousands of homes and killed 33 people.
