Category Archives: Forest Fires

Forest Fires

Canadian wildfire emissions double previous record as flames rage on

By Ismail Shakil
Reuters
August 3, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada

OTTAWA – Forest fires in Canada this year have released 290 million tonnes of carbon, doubling a previous annual record, and emissions are set to rise as hundreds of flames remain active across the country, according to the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service. 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. Satellite monitoring of emissions began in 2003. 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. That’s about the size of Greece, and greater than the combined area burned in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. …Scientists are especially concerned about what Canada’s fires are putting into the atmosphere — and the air we breathe. 

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Northwest Territories fire crews eye direct attack on Yellowknife wildfire as warm, windy weather resumes

By April Hudson
CBC News
August 20, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Wildland firefighters working on the out-of-control wildfire burning to the northwest of Yellowknife are hoping they can hit the fire head-on as warm, windy weather returns Sunday. Yellowknife was sitting at 19 C Sunday morning with a predicted high of 21 C. Winds gusting up to 35 km/h, are expected to wake up that wildfire and possibly push it toward the city. “We’re going to be looking at it this morning to see if we can put boots on the ground at the head of the fire and begin direct attack to slow down certain sections of this fire,” said Mike Westwick, N.W.T. fire information officer. The wildfire triggered the evacuation of the city, the neighbouring Yellowknives Dene communities of Ndilǫ and Dettah and residences along the Ingraham Trail last week. …NWT Fire said it is possible the fire threatening Yellowknife will move four or five kilometres in the day, though air tankers can slow that. 

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Next 48 hours crucial in battling B.C.’s raging wildfires

By Gordon Hoekstra
Vancouver Sun
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Provincial officials warned Thursday the next 48 hours could be the most challenging during B.C.’s record-breaking fire season that has killed two firefighters and burned an area equal to half the size of Vancouver Island.  Strong, potentially erratic winds and dry lightning are forecast to sweep through the province starting Thursday afternoon in the North before heading south.  The next danger period is the weekend, according to B.C. Wildfire officials. More lightning is forecast to hit tinder-dry Vancouver Island, southwest B.C. and the Kamloops area from a weather system expected to head north from the U.S. …“We are expecting significant growth and we are expecting our resources to be challenged from North to South,” said Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations with the B.C. Wildfire Service

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Calgary prepared to welcome possibly thousands of Northwest Territories wildfire evacuees

By Bill Kaufmann
Edmonton Journal
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Evacuees fleeing a wildfire threatening Yellowknife and other parts of the NWT have arrived in Calgary, which is preparing to host 5,000 of them, a city emergency official said Thursday. Five designated evacuee flights were expected to land at Calgary International Airport on Thursday and the displaced persons they bring will be processed at a reception centre there before being accommodated at hotels, said Iain Bushell, director of emergency management and community safety. …A scientist who studies climate change’s impact on water said the same conditions impacting rivers and glaciers are affecting Canada’s forests and regions above the world’s tree lines. The fires forcing evacuations in the NWT, he said, should serve as another wake-up call. “These conditions are going right up to the Arctic — the tundra’s burning,” said Dr. John Pomeroy, a hydrologist with the University of Saskatchewan. “I take off my scientist’s hat and I’m terrified.”

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Kelowna declares state of emergency, evacuation orders issued as wildfire jumps Okanagan Lake overnight

By Adam Frisk
CTV News
August 18, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

The City of Kelowna has declared a state of emergency after the McDougall Creek wildfire jumped Okanagan Lake overnight, forcing more evacuations as spot fires ignite in the city. Just before 1 a.m. Friday, a state of emergency was declared in the City of Kelowna and residents in the Clifton Road North and McKinley neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate their homes as spot fires flared in the city. “Due to unpredictable fire behaviour, it is critical that all residents evacuate for their safety and the safety of first responders in the area,” officials said in a statement Friday. Residents in the area of the west side of Glenmore Road from McKinley Beach to John Hindle Road were placed on evacuation alert and were “advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice.” Authorities confirmed Friday there has been “some structural loss” in West Kelowna. Officials plan to provide an update at 10 a.m.

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McDougall Creek wildfire remains very active and unpredictable, structural loss confirmed

By Josh Duncan, Cheyanna Lorraine and Emily Alexander
Kelowna Now
August 18, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

©Fiona Price

Officials have confirmed there’s been some structural loss overnight due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. As the fire remains very active and unpredictable, firefighters continue to work on interface areas of McDougall Creek to protect property and infrastructure in West Kelowna. A full assessment of the areas affected will be undertaken in the morning, with a detailed update to be provided by emergency officials at 10 am. Currently, 2,462 properties are under evacuation order and 4,801 properties are under evacuation alert for the McDougall Creek wildfire. All current orders and alerts remain in place, and the public is reminded to stay out of the evacuation area, as they are active fire zones.

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More communities ordered to evacuate Yellowknife, wildfires expected to reach city in days

By Sissi De Flaviis
CTV News
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Another two communities in Yellowknife, N.W.T. were ordered by officials Thursday to evacuate as wildfires near the city’s borders. The order comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting of the Incident Response Group to discuss the wildfire crisis in the Northwest Territories, and days after a state of emergency was declared in the capital of Yellowknife. The high-level panel of cabinet ministers and senior officials is the federal government’s dedicated emergency committee that meets in the event of national crises or events that have major implications for the country. The group discussed the impacts of the 5,500 wildfires that have burned across Canada this year. They were also briefed on the devastating situation in the N.W.T. where more than 21,000 square kilometres have burned, over 236 wildfires continue to burn as of Thursday night, and thousands of residents are being forced to leave their home.

Additional coverage in the Northern View, by Canadian Press: ‘Trees were like ashes’: Evacuees recount fleeing NWT wildfires, seek refuge in Alberta

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Canada wildfire: all 20,000 Yellowknife residents evacuating

By David Ljunggren
Reuters
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Canadian fire crews on Thursday battled to prevent wildfires from reaching the northern city of Yellowknife, where all 20,000 residents are leaving by car and plane after an evacuation order was declared. Water bombers flew low over Yellowknife as thick smoke blanketed the capital of the vast and sparsely populated Northwest Territories. Officials say the fire, which is moving slowly, is now 15 km (10 miles) northwest of the city and could reach the outskirts by Saturday if there is no rain. …So far about 134,000 square km (52,000 square miles) of land in Canada have been scorched, more than six times a 10-year average. Nearly 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate at some point this season. “The territories have never seen anything like this before in terms of wildfire … it’s an unimaginable situation for so many,” Mike Westwick, the territories’ fire information officer, told the CBC.

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Two decades later, record wildfires in Kelowna, B.C. are dwarfed by current season

By Darryl Greer
The Canadian Press in the Kelowna Daily Courier
August 16, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

KELOWNA — As BC grapples with a record-breaking wildfire season, the 20-year anniversary of Kelowna’s firestorm brings mixed emotions for those who lived through it, and offers lessons for the present. At the time, the 2003 season was unprecedented in scale, but it has been dwarfed this year by fires that have burned six times more area so far. …Zeman, executive director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, published a commentary last month decrying what he calls chronic and prolonged underfunding for renewable resource management. …The Filmon report said that the 2003 wildfire season scorched over 2,600 square kilometres across B.C., at the time a record amount. So far this season, more than 16,000 square kilometres have burned. Former Kelowna fire chief Gerry Zimmermann is now just thankful it wasn’t worse as wildfire seasons have only grown in intensity since. …But he said a few things have improved, especially communications with the public through the media.

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Hundreds of wildfires raging in Canada’s Northwest Territories prompt evacuations in what officials are calling a ‘crisis situation’

By Mitchell McCuskey and Aya Elamroussi
CNN
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Hundreds of wildfires raging in parts of Canada’s Northwest Territories have prompted officials to issue evacuation orders and declare a state of emergency as the blazes threaten the capital city of Yellowknife. The state of emergency allows for more resources to aid the more than 230 active fires charring areas across the Northwest Territories, according to Shane Thompson, the minister of the Municipal and Community Affairs. …The cities of Ndilo, Dettah and Ingram Trail are also under evacuation orders, Northwest Territories officials said. …“It is anticipated the fire will reach Hay River this evening,” Northwest Territories Fire said Wednesday evening. “Crews that were in the path of the fire are pulling off for their own safety and are re-positioning to assist in other areas.” A team from Alberta has been deployed to the Hay River area to lay fire retardant. …Dense smoke wafting south into the US.

 

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Yellowknife begins evacuation as wildfires approach

By Sara Minogue
CBC News
August 16, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Yellowknife residents have been ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approach, N.W.T. officials said Wednesday evening. While the city is not in immediate danger, Environment Minister Shane Thompson said a “phased approach” to evacuating will allow citizens to get out safely by car or by plane. The evacuation order says residents should leave “according to risk.” People living along Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, and the Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle business district in Yellowknife are considered at highest risk and are urged to leave as soon as possible. Other residents of Yellowknife and Ndilo should leave by noon Friday. “The fire now represents a real threat to the city”… The fire was about 17 kilometres from the city on Wednesday, he said. The extraordinary evacuation order affects nearly 22,000 people. …Thompson said Wednesday that the highway from Yellowknife to Alberta is safe to drive. 

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Evacuation alert issued in Central Okanagan

By Alex Fuster
Global News
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

KELOWNA, BC — Thousands of properties in the Central Okanagan are now under an evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. The alert was issued just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. It covers 4,800 properties for portions of West Kelowna, the Westbank First Nation and the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area. Those affected by the alert are urged to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, have a grab and go bag ready and stay tuned for any changes. Campers in Bear Creek Provincial Park are also advised to be ready to leave the area. The McDougall Creek wildfire is burning out of control, only 10 kilometers from West Kelowna. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the blaze is estimated to be 64 hectares in size and is considered a wildfire of note. Environment Canada warns three weather alerts are in effect for Kelowna as well as a special weather statement.

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Wildfire now 20km from Yellowknife, risk ‘has risen’ over last day

CBC News
August 15, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories — A wildfire burning northwest of Yellowknife is now about 20 kilometres from the city, officials said on Tuesday morning. That means it’s moved about 10 kilometres closer to the capital since a day earlier. “The fire is not expected to reach Yellowknife in the coming days, however, risk to the city and Ndilǫ has risen since yesterday,” reads an update from N.W.T. Fire at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Firefighters were also expecting “significant fire behaviour” on Tuesday, with winds out of the north and northwest expected to push the fire further south and east. Smoke and falling ash was likely in Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah on Tuesday, the update reads. Weather conditions could become more favourable on Wednesday, officials say.

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124 soldiers and two military aircraft en route to help fight Northwest Territories wildfires

The Canadian Press in Victoria News
August 14, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to help fight the unprecedented wildfire season that’s led to evacuation orders in the Northwest Territories. The Canadian Armed Forces is preparing to send 124 soldiers to help in firefighting efforts in the territory. Additionally, the military will be sending one helicopter and one Twin Otter to assist in the NWT’s ongoing wildfire and emergency response. “Over the past 24 hours or so there has been an airlift like this territory has never seen,” N.W.T. fire information officer Mike Westwick said Monday. …“The highways are compromised. It’s a very serious situation.” …Firefighters were in tough against flames driven by winds gusting 60 to 70 kilometres an hour in some areas, said Westwick. On Sunday, those winds pushed the flames through a firebreak and within 30 kilometres of the territorial capital of Yellowknife.

Additional information in CBC News: Head for the rec centre now, says Fort Smith, as wildfire approaches

CBC News: ‘Significant’ structure damage in Enterprise; remaining Hay River, Fort Smith residents told go to airports

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Yellowknife declares local state of emergency due to nearby wildfire

By Natasha O’Neill
CTV News
August 15, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

The City of Yellowknife has declared a local state of emergency on Monday due to the “imminent threat” of wildfires. A state of emergency allows the city to mobilize resources to address the fire risks. The declaration happened during a special council meeting convened Monday evening. The “trigger” for the emergency declaration, Yellowknife’s city manager said, was when the Behchokǫ̀ wildfire crossed Boundary Creek about 30 kilometres away from Yellowknife along Highway 3. …The city is declaring an emergency so it can take pre-emptive measures, she said. Three fires are burning near Yellowknife, a live fire map from the Northwest Territories shows. The fires are all under 0.04 kilometres in size. Mayor Rebecca Alty noted the emergency declaration is not an evacuation notice or order. A number of fires are burning out of control across the territory.

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Sizzling hot spell settles over B.C. adding to wildfire concerns

Canadian Press in CBC News
August 14, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C. Wildfire Service says challenging conditions could arrive within days as heat and powerful winds settle over the southern half of the province. The provincial wildfire service is reporting 373 fires around B.C. as of 5 p.m. PT on Monday, with about nine recorded since Sunday evening and another 11 still ranked as fires of note. …Matt MacDonald, the lead fire weather forecaster for the B.C. Wildfire Service, told CBC News that lower relative humidity could mean trouble as the heat wave continues in the province. “Unfortunately, come Thursday, we’re keeping a really close eye on this dry cold front …  that’s going to sweep across the province,” he said. “It’s going to bring strong gusty winds shifting from the southwest to the northwest. “We may see some lightning accompany this dry cold front on Thursday, which could have the potential of initiating new fires.”

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Evacuations ordered in communities along Alberta-NWT boundary due to wildfires

The Canadian Press in Castanet
August 12, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Evacuation orders have been issued for several communities along the boundary between Alberta and the Northwest Territories due to nearby wildfires.  The Town of Fort Smith, NWT, with a population of about 2,000, posted on its website on Saturday that people should leave the area in a calm fashion over the next eight hours.  The post says the decision was based on a recommendation by Parks Canada due to forecasted fire behaviour, and the same order was also posted online by the Smith’s Landing First Nation.  It says that Parks Canada and the NWT government will try and maintain Highway 5 access for as long as possible throughout the night.  Twenty-five kilometres south in Alberta, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo says all residents of Fort Fitzgerald, a hamlet along the Slave River, must also leave due to nearby wildfires.

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Wildfire burns structures south of Hay River, Northwest Territories, through Enterprise

CBC News
August 13, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Town of Hay River says wildfires have burned property and structures in the area of Paradise Gardens south through Enterprise. The update, at about 11:30 p.m., noted there were no known fires within Hay River, north of Patterson’s Road. Anyone still in Hay River should go to the airport. …On Sunday evening, 215 people were flown from Hay River to Grande Prairie. People are using a Facebook page NWT Wildfires Safety Check to mark themselves safe from the wildfires, and to check on friends and family members. It’s the second time this summer residents of Hay River, N.W.T., are fleeing a nearby wildfire; this comes as the community was hosting evacuees from Fort Smith fleeing their own wildfire. …The federal government has promised assistance to the N.W.T., according to a post from federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan.

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Some 91 wildfires are still burning across Alberta

By Jessica Nelson
St. Albert Gazette
August 9, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

After months of wildfires ravaging the province, there seems to be no reprieve, with dozens of fires still burning in Alberta. Data from the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard showed there were 91 active wildfires and eight mutual aid wildfires burning in Alberta current from Aug. 9. One of those fires, HWF-058-2023 in the High Level Forest Area, had an out of control wildfire status. The estimated area was 39575 Ha, with the general cause considered to be lightning. Currently, there are 35 wildfires being held and 55 wildfires under control. Of the active wildfires, nine were suspected to be caused by humans, 66 were suspected to be caused by lightning, and 16 are still under investigation. …To date, there were a total of 960 wildfires this year with the majority, 513 being classified as human suspected caused. Lightning was the suspected cause of 357, and 90 are still under investigation. The season ranks third busiest in a five-year comparison.

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Fire guard being constructed for Shuswap communities south of Adams Lake blaze

By Lachlan Labere
Victoria News
August 7, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Work is underway to protect communities south of the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire. On Sunday, Aug. 6, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reported seeing minimal growth to the fire, last estimated to be 4,823 hectares in size. However, with persistent drought conditions and a change of weather in the forecast, the BCWS warned the fire has the potential to impact communities to the south, including Lee Creek. In an Aug. 7 update on the fire situation, the Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP) said crews continued to work on building a fire guard to assist in protecting North Shuswap communities south of the fire. …Electoral Area F (North Shuswap) director Jay Simpson said in addition to the fire break being constructed, there’s also a “Plan B” in the works. Meanwhile, he said the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is making plans for Lee Creek and Scotch Creek should the worst happen.

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Fires on both sides of Adams Lake in B.C. prompt evacuation orders

The Canadian Press in the Sunshine Coast Reporter
August 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Wildfires on both sides of Adams Lake in the B.C. Interior have prompted evacuation orders as crews continue to battle the blazes over the long weekend.   A post by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District on Sunday says the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire has grown minimally, days after residents were hastily evacuated after a drastic wind shift began blowing the fire toward lakeside properties.   The regional district says heavy smoke has made visibility poor and weather conditions are poised to increase the fire’s behaviour due to dry and hot conditions.  More than 90 properties in the regional district remain on evacuation order, and on the other side of the lake, 13 properties on a forest service road were ordered evacuated Sunday afternoon due to the Bush Creek East wildfire. 

Additional coverage in CFJC Today, by Canadian Press: Wildfire prompts Thompson-Nicola Regional District to place 85 properties on evacuation alert

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Adams Lake, B.C. wildfire prompts evacuations near Kamloops

By James Paracy and John Ackermann
Vancouver CityNews
August 3, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

ADAMS LAKE, BC — An out-of-control wildfire northeast of Kamloops, B.C., has prompted the evacuation of nearly 100 lakeside and residential properties and put another nearby 75 on alert. The Lower East Adams Lake Fire has been burning next to Adams Lake since July 12 next to Adams Lake, and it has recently grown to 2,527 hectares in size — threatening properties, businesses, and a generally popular summer destination for those living in the area. According to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, the evacuation order was issued on Wednesday but later expanded as imminent danger from the fire grew. Tsutswecw Provincial Park has been issued an evacuation alert as well. The BC Wildfire Service cites difficult terrain and a drastic wind shift that caught crews off guard as reasons why a formerly docile wildfire started aggressively moving toward homes near Adams Lake.

Additional coverage in Blackpress Media: 12 properties on west side of Adams Lake put under evacuation order

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Crews working to steer flames from more buildings in ‘heartbreaking’ B.C. wildfire north of Whistler

CBC News
August 3, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

WHISTLER, BC — Crews fighting an aggressive wildfire northwest of Whistler, B.C., will be working Thursday to steer flames away from any more buildings after at least five properties were lost. The Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) said the Downton Lake wildfire, burning 110 kilometres northwest of Whistler, B.C., isn’t showing signs of letting up. “What we have not heard is that this is abating in anyway. The situation is still very dangerous for our first responders,” said SLRD chair Jen Ford. Ford said officials have now confirmed five structures were lost, despite having difficulty accessing the area. “There are for sure more [structures lost], however, our team has not yet been able to do a proper assessment of the area,” she said in an interview with CBC’s The Early Edition on Thursday.

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Wildfire risks increasing across northern Ontario

By Dan Bertrand
CTV News Northern Ontario
August 7, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada East

There 27 active wildfires in the Northeast Region and fire hazard risk across the region is moderate to high, according to Sunday’s update from Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES). Of these active fires, four are not under control, five are being held, 10 are under control and 27 are being observed, the report said. 18 new fires were reported in the Northeast Region this weekend. “The wildland fire hazard is moderate to high across the Northeast Region with one small pocket of extreme fire hazard centered around the community of Thessalon,” said emergency officials. Sudbury 31 is the largest new fire in the region – it is not under control. Sudbury 7, confirmed on Aug. 5, is located approximately 5 kilometers west of Twin Lake in French River Provincial Park and is listed as 0.7 hectares in size, according to the update.

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East Fire burning near Cascade grows to 2,000 acres

KTVB 7
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

CASCADE, Idaho — A wildfire burning on East Mountain roughly 10 miles east of Cascade has quickly burned an estimated 2,000 acres as of Thursday evening. The U.S. Forest Service said the fire is burning near the East Fork of Clear Creek.  The fire, deemed the ‘East Fire,’ is burning in heavy timber, subalpine fir and in an area with a “heavy component” of downed and standing trees. The fire was reported around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Valley County Sheriff’s Office. The East Fire is located east of Forest Road 409 and south of Forest Road 405, within the Cascade Ranger District. A total of 117 personnel are assigned to the East Fire as of Thursday evening.  …One Hotshot crew and a 20-person handcrew are assigned to the fire, with another two additional Hotshot crews expected to arrive Thursday. Two Type 1 helicopters, a strike team of five fire engines and two water scooper airplanes have also been assigned.

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Evacuations ordered after winds whip Northern California wildfire near site of 2022 deadly blaze

The Associated Press
August 16, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

HAMBURG, California — Rural areas near California’s border with Oregon were under evacuation orders Wednesday after gusty winds from a thunderstorm sent a lightning-sparked wildfire racing through national forest lands, authorities said. The blaze in Siskiyou County, dubbed the Head Fire, was one of at least 20 fires — most of them tiny — that erupted in the Klamath National Forest as thunderstorms brought lightning and downdrafts that drove the flames through timber and rural lands. “This has been a fire that has moved extremely quickly,” Forest Supervisor Rachel Smith told The Associated Press. “Just in a matter of a couple of minutes yesterday afternoon the fire grew from just 50 acres (20.2 hectares) to nearly 1,500 acres (607 hectares).” ….A slew of other lightning-caused fires were reported Tuesday in Northern California, including in Mendocino County, Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Tahoe area, although most were small and quickly contained, fire officials said.

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Oregon wildfire updates: Efforts to contain Bedrock, Lookout fires continue amid heat wave

By Abigail Landwehr
The Salem Statesman Journal
August 15, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Oregon’s heat wave has hit the Willamette Valley and 100 degree temperatures are expected to continue, contributing to unstable fire conditions. A large part of the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region is under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service on Monday. Wind, low humidity and overall unstable conditions could lead to quicker fire growth. Fire teams are working to contain a number of wildfires across Oregon. More resources and crews are being called in from out of state too, with five California strike teams set to help. The California teams will join 11 other task forces mobilized for the Lookout and Bedrock fires. Here is the latest on those and other wildfires burning across the state.

Additional coverage by the Associated Press: Evacuations ordered as Northern California Head Fire roars through forest near site of 2022 deadly blaze

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Utah’s largest 2023 wildfire yet still burning in Fishlake National Forest

By Paighten Harkins
The Salt Lake Tribune
August 15, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

The largest wildfire yet of Utah’s current fire season continues to burn with little containment in public lands southeast of Beaver, but fire crews are hopeful that forecast rain and low humidity will help them extinguish the blaze. A lightning strike caused the Thompson Ridge Fire on Aug. 4, but Great Basin incident management team spokesperson Sierra Hellstrom said the weather has otherwise cooperated with teams’ efforts to put it out. Rain has fallen on the fire most days since crews arrived last Thursday, she said, and cloud coverage has kept temperatures cool. Crews were on the lookout for increased winds Tuesday, which could increase fire activity. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had spread to 7,289 acres and was 15% contained. Much of southern Fishlake National Forest remains closed through Oct. 1, according to a U.S. Forest Service order. Officials have not issued any evacuation orders…

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Maui, Hawaii, Death Toll Hits 93, Deadliest American Wildfire In Over 100 Years

By Bruce Lee
Forbes
August 13, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

The grim numbers just keep getting grimmer. The death toll from the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, has now reached 93, according to an August 12 update from the County of Maui. That makes these Maui wildfires the deadliest in modern American history. Yes, that’s right, the deadliest, topping the 85 lives that the ironically-named Camp Fire in Northern California claimed in 2018. And unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that this 93 number won’t keep rising over the next few days and weeks. …Deaths haven’t been the only “D” caused by the Maui wildfires. There’ve been lots of damage and destruction, too. The wildfires have already damaged or destroyed over 2,200 different structures. With close to $6 billion in estimated damages, this will likely be the largest natural disaster that Hawaii has ever experienced since it became a state in 1959, according to Hawaii Governor Josh Green.

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‘Thickest black smoke’: 36 dead, thousands flee as Hawaii wildfires rage in Maui.

By N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Jorge L. Ortiz and Kathleen Wong
USA Today
August 10, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

MAUI, Hawaii − Evacuations and damage assessment will continue Thursday on the battered island of Maui where catastrophic blazes killed at least 36 people, damaged hundreds of structures and leveled a historic and beloved town in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years. Officials said more than 270 structures were damaged or destroyed, including entire blocks of homes, businesses and a 200-year-old church in Lahaina Town in Maui. The blazes were fueled by wind from passing Hurricane Dora and exacerbated by overly dry vegetation and the ongoing drought. On the Big Island, three wildfires were burning, though two of them were at least 60% contained. …Strong winds are expected to die down Thursday and Friday, but there’s no rainfall in the forecast for the parts of Maui impacted by the fire. …Evacuation efforts have been complicated by power blackouts, a lack of cell service, the loss of 911 service in different parts of the islands. 

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Oregon wildfires: Salmon, Bedrock fires pooling resources, Flat Fire at 39% containment

By Abigail Landwehr
Statesman Journal
August 8, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Both growing in the Willamette National Forest, the Salmon and Bedrock fires now share management and firefighting resources. They’re located east of Eugene and near Oakridge. Both could impact air quality in Central Oregon.  The 13,684-acre Bedrock Fire has burned over the course of three weeks, while the Salmon fire was sparked Sunday afternoon, just 3 miles east of Oakridge.  …The Bedrock Fire’s blaze began at Bedrock Campground on July 22.  …Watching the fire’s forward growth and supporting ground crews, helicopters and fixed wing air tankers flew over the Salmon and Bedrock fires Monday. Efforts on the Salmon Fire included helicopters using water buckets and scooper planes working from above. …The Wiley Fire is the third fire to be reported in the Willamette National Forest, prompting a temporary closure order for Green Peter Reservoir for fire suppression efforts.

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Oregon Wildfires: Bedrock Fire growing nearly 1000 acres daily, Flat Fire 28% contained

By Abigail Landwehr
Statesman Journal
August 2, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

The now 11,182-acre Bedrock Fire in the Willamette National Forest has spread to the east and north up Fall Creek and continued uphill, following a pattern of burning through nearly 1,000 acres a day, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The basecamp relocated Monday night to the Pleasant Hill area just south of Jasper, to accommodate additional firefighters and equipment coming to assist. There were more than 700 personnel fighting the fire, including the Oregon Department of Forestry and private firefighters. Work continues along the entire perimeter, with backburning on the southwestern edge. Firefighters are trying to establish fire lines on the southwest, west and north of the fire’s edges. It was estimated at 5% containment with the cost of firefighting efforts so far exceeding $8 million.

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Hundreds of wildfires have broken out across Louisiana, and more are likely as heatwave holds steady

By Tristan Baurick and Faimon Roberts
NOLA.com
August 17, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

More than 135 wildfires have burned across Louisiana over the past week and many more are expected as the state grapples with a long spell of little rain and extremely high heat. …About 2,434 acres have been damaged by fire since the middle of last week. That’s about as much land burned during all of 2019. Last week’s fires caused an estimated $3.6 million in damage to crops, woodlands and buildings, according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. At least 645 wildfires have burned in Louisiana this year, and there are more hot weeks – and likely more fires – ahead. …For Douglas Downs, chief of a south Sabine fire department, it’s something he’s never seen before. …“Over the next two weeks, temperatures are still going to be extremely hot and extremely dry,” he said. “So we’re gearing up and continuing the firefight.”

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Why It’s So Hard to Forecast Wildfire Smoke

By Carolyn Kormann
The New Yorker
August 8, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Picture the boreal forest, in northern Quebec, on the morning of June 1st. …In the afternoon, after weeks of sunshine, severe thunderstorms suddenly rolled over the forest’s vast tracts of black and white spruce, subalpine fir, jack pine, and aspens. Lightning struck the ground repeatedly. A hundred and twenty-three fires were lit in a single day.  …Winds wheeled counterclockwise, and, a week after the lightning strikes, swept the vaporized remains of boreal forest into the lungs of New Yorkers.  ….Why don’t we have smoke forecasts? …Forecasting smoke is a hard problem, so tricky that no high-resolution, automatically updating smoke forecast existed in the U.S. until December, 2020. …That started to change around 2014, when NOAA and the National Weather Service launched the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (or HRRR, rhymes with “fur”) atmospheric model—a real-time, hourly updated, state-of-the-art weather-prediction system.

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Tenerife wildfires lead to evacuation of villages

By James Gregory
BBC News
August 16, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

A major wildfire on the Spanish island of Tenerife has led to the evacuation of five villages. The fire has spread some 8 sq km (800 hectares) since it started in a nature reserve on the north-east coast of the island late on Tuesday evening. Local authorities have cut off access to the forest around the Mount Teide volcano, Spain’s highest peak, and say secondary fires have now broken out. Helicopters spraying water have been seen flying over the area. The main blaze is spreading through woodland and ravines in the Candelaria and Arafo areas, making it difficult for firefighters to tackle. Rosa Davila, president of the Tenerife Council, said aircraft were necessary because it was a steep area. …Photos show large flames engulfing parts of the forest, and thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

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Morocco: Authorities Battle Flames Destroying Forest Cover

By Jide Johnson
Voice of Nigeria
August 13, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Firefighters and emergency crews are responding to a wildfire on the outskirts of Tangier that broke out late on Thursday 10 August in the Rmeilat forest. The blaze spread toward homes in the northwest of Tangier on Friday, 11 August. Canadair CL-415 planes are being used to put out the fires. A number of firefighting personnel, auxiliary forces and the authority’s agents were also called upon in the field. Volunteers are also trying to help experts deployed. The circumstances of the outbreak of the fire are unknown at a time when reports indicate that the current summer season will witness an unusual wave of fires due to the unprecedented rise in temperature. “The Rmilat forest covers 300 hectares, and the fire broke out three days ago, affecting between 20 and 25 hectares. Thanks to this rapid intervention, the worst was avoided.” says Saoud Abdel Malik, member of the Observatory for the Protection of the Environment.

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Record heat warning as forest fires rage in Spain and Portugal

The Associated Free Press in France24
August 9, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

© Patricia de Melo Moreira

Madrid, Spain – Temperatures soared across Spain and Portugal on Wednesday as the two countries boil under their third heatwave of the summer. As huge forest fires raged across southern Portugal for the fifth successive day, Spain’s weather service warned that the average temperature across the country could hit a seven-decade record. “This will probably be the hottest five August days in 73 years,” said AEMET, the state meteorological agency, with almost the whole country under red weather alerts. The highest temperatures occurred in Roda de Andalucia where the mercury hit 44.6 degrees Celsius, and at the Granada airport where the temperature reached 44.1 Celsius. Winds and extreme heat are also driving fires that have devastated 15,000 hectares of trees in neighbouring Portugal over the past few days. The biggest blazes are in the southern Odemira region, where more than 1,500 people have been evacuated with the fires reaching the Algarve, a hugely popular tourist destination.

Additional coverage in The Times: Portugal fires: is it safe to travel and should I cancel my holiday?

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Multinational force fights stubborn wildfire in Cyprus, including Lebanon, Greece and Jordan

By Menelaos Hadjicostic
Associated Press in ABC News
August 7, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

NICOSIA, Cyprus — A multinational force is helping Cyprus fight stubborn wildfires in the summer heat, with Israel joining Lebanon, Greece and Jordan in sending aircraft to fight a blaze that has scorched miles of mountainous terrain, officials said Monday. Israel said two “Air-Tractor” firefighting aircraft, ground crews and wildfire experts along with six tons of flame retardants were on their way to the island nation, adding to the 20 tons of material that Greece is sending. Lebanon is pitching in with a pair of helicopters, while two Greek Canadair aircraft have been dispatched to help douse the fire in the mountains about 11 miles (17 kilometers) north of the coastal town of Limassol. Jordan has sent three aircraft of its own, including two Super Puma helicopters and a Russian-made Mi26 helicopter. The multinational effort is battling a blaze that according to Agriculture and Environment Minister Petros Xenophontos scorched around 3.2 square miles (8.5 square kilometers) of land.

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Spain: Thousands left without power as Catalonia fire rages

Deutsche Welle
August 5, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Authorities started evacuating people from several Catalan villages as the forest fire spreads near the French border. Almost 140 people were evacuated in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region after a large forest fire spread across the equivalent of 600 soccer fields within a day, authorities said Saturday. Local people were moved from several villages overnight as a precaution, along with a campsite not far from Portbou, whose railway station connects Spain with France on the Mediterranean coast. An estimated 4,000 people lost power as a result of the blaze, the Catalan Civil Defence said. Train services between Figueres and Portbou were temporarily cut and the main road into Portbou and to the French border was also closed. …The fire has so far ravaged some 435 hectares (1,100 acres) of land, with an estimated 2,500 hectares threatened. Strong winds had helped the fire to spread overnight and prevented water-bombing planes from taking off.

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Portugal Battles Wildfires Amid Searing Heat

Agence France-Presse in Voice of America News
August 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

More than 1,000 firefighters were on Sunday battling a wildfire in central Portugal that has destroyed 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) of land and slightly injured 11 people. Temperatures were above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in some regions of Portugal and authorities said wildfire risks would remain “very high or at maximum level across the entire country” over the coming days. Around 7,000 hectares were destroyed in the district of Castelo Branco in the center of the country but the commander of the firefighting operation, Jose Gulherme, said the potential risk from the blaze could be as high as “more than 20,000 hectares.” …A further 400 firefighters were deployed to battle a separate wildfire in Odemira, near the southwest coast. Civil security official Tiago Bugio said the flames in Odemira were being beaten back on Sunday. Two fronts were still active but a third, which had been heading toward the southern tourist mecca of the Algarve, was now under control.

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