A suspected human-caused wildfire west of Lake Cowichan that was first reported Tuesday evening is now considered under control, the B.C. Wildfire Service says. The fire near Gordon River, called the Gordon Main fire, started at the site of an old logging camp and involved broom and brush. …While the cause has not been determined, the fire is believed to be human-caused. After a cool June, 38 fires are burning in the Coastal Fire Centre zone, which includes all of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast, down significantly from the 145 fires burning at this time last year. The 10-year average is 93. Fourteen new fires have been reported since July 21. The Gordon Main fire is the only wildfire reported on Vancouver Island.
A large wildfire burning near Lytton, B.C., is smaller than was previously believed, but still remains a threat amid a new heat wave. The BC Wildfire Service says new mapping has found the Nohomin Creek fire, burning about 1.7 kilometres northwest of Lytton, is just under 2,200 hectares in size. The fire, which remains classified as ‘out of control,’ had previously been estimated as more than 2,223 hectares in size. “A warming and drying trend will continue to bring hot and dry conditions this week which could cause an increase in fire behavior,” the wildfire service said in a Monday morning update. Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for much of the province, including the Fraser Canyon area, due to a ridge of high pressure expected to stay in place for about a week.
The Southeast Fire Centre is now the most active in the province. Between Thursday and Saturday, more than 
While many parts of Canada are being hit by severe forest fires, especially in the west, little damage has been done so far to Quebec’s forests. The Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) reports there are currently two active forest fires in Quebec, which has the largest territory among Canadian provinces. Both are burning in small areas in the northwest Jamésie region and are under control. So far this year, there have been 293 forest fires in Quebec, compared to a 10-year average of 344 at the same time. About 227 hectares of forest have been affected by fire this year; the average for the last ten years at this time was 18,708 hectares. …SOPFEU reports that many of the forest fires in western Canada are producing large plumes of smoke that can travel thousands of kilometres. Tuesday, smoke was noticeable in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
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JERSEYDALE, Calif. — Firefighters continue to make progress against a huge California forest fire that forced evacuations for thousands of people and destroyed 41 homes and other buildings near Yosemite National Park, officials said Tuesday. Crews battling the Oak Fire in Mariposa County got a break from increased humidity and lower temperatures as monsoonal moisture moved through the Sierra Nevada foothills, said a Tuesday night report by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. After minimal growth Monday and overnight, the blaze had consumed nearly 29 square miles of forest land, with 26% containment on Tuesday, Cal Fire said. The cause was under investigation. “Although good progress continues on the fire, there is much work to be done,” Cal Fire said. …Heavy smoke from the fire drifted more than 200 miles (322 kilometers), reaching Lake Tahoe, parts of Nevada and the San Francisco Bay Area, officials said.
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HELENA, Montana — The Moors Mountain fire in the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness north of Helena grew from 115 acres to 150 acres overnight, U.S. Forest Service officials said Sunday. The Forest Service said about 9:45 a.m. that a Type III team will assume command Monday morning and a long-term strategy is being developed to direct suppression on the east and north flanks closest to private property. The fire was reported by multiple callers about 3:50 p.m. Saturday. Officials said Sunday the fire was caused by lightning and it was burning in heavy timber. Forest officials asked people to avoid Refrigerator Canyon Trail in Gates of the Mountains Wilderness and said a closure order was forthcoming. 
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – As conditions remain dry in the western states, the Alabama Forestry Commission is sending firefighters to provide extra manpower to battle wildfires. “I’m constantly fielding requests on a daily basis, at least five to six requests every day, for everything from your basic firefighter all up to those in the command and general staff,” said Balsie Bulter, assistant director of Protection Division of the Alabama Forestry Commission. Bulter added firefighters will go out to states like New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, where they have been more susceptible to fires. As of Thursday afternoon, there have been at least nine people dispatched for wildfires. The assistant director mentioned these fires are different compared to their typical structure fires, as crews are battling fires in different terrains and atmospheres.
A pair of two-day-old North Texas wildfires continued to resist containment after destroying 21 homes, officials said. The Chalk Mountain Fire near Glen Rose, Texas, destroyed 16 homes and damaged five others as it remained on the move Wednesday, said Alexandra Schwier, a Texas A&M Forest Service spokeswoman. The fire about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth was 10% contained Wednesday with embers from burning tree crowns flying up to 200 yards. The fire at Possum Kingdom Lake destroyed five homes as it spread along its western shore, charring 500 (200 hectares) acres about 70 miles west of Fort Worth. That fire was 15% contained. Temperatures approaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), combined with a relative humidity near 20% and 10-mph winds gusting to 20 mph, resisted efforts to contain the fiery spread beyond 10% containment.
Vast swathes of fire-ravaged pine forest must be replanted and managed differently to avoid future blazes fuelled by global heating, French experts have said, as wildfires – several caused by arson – continued to burn across France and Spain. Officials in the south-west Gironde département said on Monday that two huge fires … were both under control, although still burning. …As thoughts turned to replanting, French forestry experts say that not only the choice of species but also much tougher forest management rules would be critical in combating future wildfires amid the growing climate crisis. …France’s civil protection service said a top priority must be easy access for firefighters. …Other measures include public information campaigns, starting as early as primary school, on the significantly increased risks of forest fires, with statistics showing that about 90% are originated – either accidentally or deliberately – by humans.:format(webp)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/world/europe/2022/07/23/greece-battles-4-major-wildfires-hotels-homes-evacuated/20220723120736-62dc24370e4c200aa5824fdejpeg.jpg)
Meteorologists have warned of a “heat apocalypse” in western France as more than 8,500 further people fled their homes to escape a large wildfire sparked by a searing southern European heatwave that has already caused hundreds of deaths. Nearly 25,000 people have been forced to abandon homes, holiday rentals and campsites for emergency shelters in the Gironde département west of Bordeaux, while blazes in Spain, 
Scorching temperatures and raging wildfires have already forced the evacuations of thousands of people in Portugal, France, and Spain. …A pilot died while battling a blaze in Portugal, as hundreds more were evacuated from Spain and France on Friday. A scorching heatwave has set blazes across European towns, with officials issuing heatwave warnings in the coming days. …In Portugal, five districts were on red alert as of Friday and more than 1,000 firefighters were battling at least 17 blazes, authorities said. While temperatures dipped slightly on Friday, they’re still expected to top 104 degrees Fahrenheit in some places in the coming days, authorities said. Wildfires continued to blaze in southwestern France as well, forcing hundreds to evacuate, authorities said Friday. …In Spain, authorities said at least 20 fires were raging still, with a fire near Mijas, a town on the southeastern coast of Spain, forcing the evacuation of some 2,300 people.