More than 200 wildfires are blazing across central and western Canada, half of which are out of control… “But increasingly we’re also concerned about the smoke,” said Mike Waddington, an environmental scientist at McMaster University in Ontario. That’s because [of] where these blazes are burning in Canada. The country’s forests have long been mined, operations that loaded soils and waterways with toxic metals like lead and mercury, especially before clean-air standards kicked in 50 years ago. Now everyone downwind of these wildfires may have to contend with that legacy and those pollutants, in addition to all the other nasties inherent in wildfire smoke, which are known to exacerbate respiratory and cardiac problems. …But an area of particular concern is around the mining city of Flin Flon, in Manitoba, which is known to have elevated levels of toxic metals in the landscape, said Colin McCarter, an environmental scientist who studies pollutants at Ontario’s Nipissing University.
The sun and sky had a much more eerie appearance to it on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. It was a sign that smoke from wildfires burning more than 4,000 miles (6,400km) away in central Canada had made it across the Atlantic to sit in the skies over the UK. BBC WeatherWatchers from all corners of the country were out capturing the spectacle. …The change in the appearance of the sun and sky is due to smoke particles in the atmosphere scattering the blue wavelengths of light more, allowing predominantly orange and red hues to reach our eyes. …The presence of wildfire smoke from North America over the UK, whilst not common, does occasionally happen during the summer months. …Here in the UK, the smoke plume is at too high an altitude to affect our air quality.
CHICAGO and OTTAWA, ON – As devastating wildfires continue to increase throughout North America, the American and Canadian Lung Associations are collaborating for a second year to raise awareness about the health risks associated with wildfire smoke, educate people on how to protect themselves, and promote strategies to mitigate the occurrence of catastrophic wildfires. …To protect residents in both countries from the harmful health impacts of wildfires, the American Lung Association and the Canadian Lung Association are once again working together, concentrating their efforts on three key areas: awareness, education and advocacy.
FLIN FLON, Manitoba — More than 25,000 residents in three provinces have been evacuated as dozens of wildfires remained active Sunday and diminished air quality in parts of Canada and the US, according to officials. Most of the evacuated residents were from Manitoba, which declared a state of emergency last week. About 17,000 people there were evacuated by Saturday along with 1,300 in Alberta. About 8,000 people in Saskatchewan had been relocated as leaders there warned the number could climb. Smoke was worsening air quality and reducing visibility in Canada and into some US states along the border. “Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned Sunday. “As smoke levels increase, health risks increase.” …In some parts of the U.S., air quality reached “unhealthy” levels Sunday in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket parts of the Midwest and Great Plains, leading to air quality alerts across several states. More than 90 fires scattered across Canada are burning out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, a nonprofit that supports the government’s wildfire response. Active fires in the central Canadian province of Manitoba have forced roughly 17,000 people to evacuate. Winds high in the atmosphere pushed that smoke into the Upper Midwest on Friday, and the plumes continued to travel southeast over the weekend, reaching as far as the Georgia-Florida border. Some U.S. states may experience poor air quality through Monday, meaning sensitive groups such as pregnant people, newborns, older adults or those with respiratory or heart problems should limit their time outdoors. People in the affected areas may notice a campfire smell and hazy skies, as well as colorful sunrises and sunsets.
The 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire caused serious damage to the Rose Valley reservoir, which provides source water to more than half of West Kelowna residents through the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant. During a presentation to city council this week, Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Fatameh Sabet said that damage makes it harder to treat water coming from the reservoir. “We know the land surrounding the Rose Valley reservoir has been contaminated because of the wildfire in 2023 and it means the contaminated source of water can be harder to treat because of the sediment, nutrients, metals and organic matter as a result of burned material,” said Dr. Sabet. “Fortunately, the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant was not damaged from the fire and it has been very helpful to compensate for damage to the watershed.” The plant ensures water is safe by not only controlling levels of manganese and disinfection byproduct, but other perspectives as well.
With warmer, drier conditions expected to increase across B.C., people are advised to stay prepared for climate-related emergencies. …People are encouraged to prepare grab-and-go bags, create an emergency and evacuation plan, create an Emergency Support Services profile through their B.C. Services Card app and ensure they have renter’s or homeowner’s insurance for their property. …Warm and dry conditions are expected throughout the province this month, and with that comes an elevated risk of wildfire. Northeastern B.C. is continuing to experience prolonged drought and is expected to remain at high risk for wildfire this summer. …In addition to wildfire risk, the Province is also closely monitoring key indicators of drought risk, including snowpack. 
Fighting forest fires has always been a physically demanding and dangerous job. But it can take a toll on firefighters’ mental health as well. In 2023, the deaths of six wildland firefighters in B.C. highlighted the importance of mental health, both for frontline responders and support staff. Wildland firefighters are challenged with stress and exhaustion, but the loss of colleagues heavily contributed to the mental toll on firefighters during the 2023 wildfire season, said Jessa Barber, a former wildland firefighter who is now a safety officer with the BC Wildfire Service. …BC Wildfire said it is being proactive, implementing policies and practices to support the mental health of its staff. …One of these practices is the New Recruit Boot Camp, which prioritizes educating recruits about the risks and dangers of being a wildland firefighter both physically and mentally. Ongoing support is provided to recruits.
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are investigating the drowning of a machinery operator in an industrial incident at the Crofton pulp mill on Wednesday. Police responded about noon to the Catalyst Pulp and Paper Mill after receiving a report that a piece of heavy equipment had fallen into the ocean with its operator trapped inside. Canadian Coast Guard divers attempted a rescue, but the 30-year-old man could not be revived. RCMP spokesperson Alex Bérubé said the B.C. Coroners Service and WorkSafeBC are both investigating what led to “this tragic outcome.”
Saskatoon & Winnipeg — In response to the devastating wildfires threatening communities in central Canada. Dr. Murray Opdahl, a family physician and co-chair of CAPE Saskatchewan said, “It’s a dark day in … with so many of our communities at risk from these devastating wildfires. Wildfires and wildfire smoke pose immediate safety risks, and can have long-lasting impacts on people’s health and mental health. Our communities need immediate support during this crisis. We also need bold action to stop these wildfires from continuing to get worse each year. The science is clear: these increasingly severe wildfires are directly linked to climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions. What we’re witnessing isn’t natural; it’s the result of human activity warming our planet. I’m calling on all governments to take immediate action to protect people on the frontlines of this crisis—and to declare their commitment to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to safer alternatives.”
In this edition of the WorkSafeBC Health and Safety News you’ll find:
British Columbia’s worker protection agency says a planned burn by the province’s wildfire service during the devastating 2023 fire season could have killed or injured multiple firefighters who became “trapped by extreme fire behaviour” that cut off their escape. Inspection reports by WorkSafeBC say the BC Wildfire Service didn’t adequately ensure safety during the burn in the Shuswap region on Aug. 17 that year, and a group of trapped Brazilian firefighters had to retreat to a “safe zone.” WorkSafeBC says they had to burn off fuel around their truck and spend the night because of low visibility, smoke, fire activity and falling trees. They were picked up the next day by another crew that “cut their way into the site.” …The employer did not provide adequate information, instruction, training or supervision for the crews involved, the report says, and the incident “could have resulted in multiple serious injuries or fatalities of workers.”
The Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2019 (Bill 18) expanded the definition of “firefighter” and changed the definition of “worker” in the Workers Compensation Act, resulting in implications for society fire brigades that engage volunteer firefighters. Our Policy, Regulation and Research Department is releasing a discussion paper with proposed amendments to policy in the Assessment Manual to provide guidance on how WorkSafeBC determines the employer of a volunteer firefighter, and to remove outdated language. The discussion paper and information on how to provide feedback can be found here: 
WorkSafeBC is releasing a discussion paper concerning changes made to policy on duration of benefits (retirement age). To reflect legislative amendments to the Workers Compensation Act, policy changes related to retirement age determinations were effective on January 1, 2021. After reviewing the implementation of the initial changes, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved further policy changes, effective January 1, 2024, on WorkSafeBC’s determination of whether a worker “would retire” after the retirement dates set out in the Workers Compensation Act. The Board of Directors approved these policy changes in advance of public consultation. Our Policy, Regulation and Research Department is now consulting on the 2024 changes to determine whether further changes are necessary. The discussion paper and information on how to provide feedback can be found here: 
Apologies are in order if anyone blamed it on the dog. The Kruger pulp mill on Mission Flats Road says it is responsible for what some might have noticed was a stronger than usual odour in the air in Kamloops late Friday afternoon. According to Kruger spokesperson Paule Veilleux-Turcotte, the smell was the result of a failure in the mill’s odour control equipment. “The plant halted its operations to repair the equipment, but, despite shutting down, some residual levels of the gases would still have been noticeable within the community,” Veilleux-Turcotte said in an email to Castanet Kamloops. “Despite the equipment issues, operations remained in compliance with the site permit for the duration of the event.” Veilleux-Turcotte said the issue was fixed by about 10 p.m. on Friday night, and, upon confirmation of the repairs, the mill resumed operations. [END]
Join us for the Interior Safety Conference (ISC) on Thursday, May 1, 2025! This annual event is a must-attend for BC forestry professionals, offering a unique opportunity to delve into safety-related issues and learn ways to enhance safety across the industry. This Year’s Theme: Building Safety Through Shared Experiences. Gain powerful insights and practical knowledge through a series of compelling presentations by industry experts and speakers. The conference is FREE for anyone working in any phase of the forest industry, from silviculture to harvesting to wood products manufacturing.
For the past 10 years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been working to consolidate several industry-specific standards for combustible dust. In December 2024, the NFPA completed its goal by issuing “NFPA 660–Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids.” This new standard combines six existing standards, including NFPA 61 (agricultural dust) and NFPA 664 (wood dust), into a single standard that covers all industries where combustible dust and particulates are generated, used and handled. Building permitting authorities, code enforcers and fire agencies use the NFPA standards to establish the basis of design and operation for new and existing industrial sites, so it’s important for pellet mill owners and operators to be aware of NFPA requirements, especially for new projects and plant modifications. NFPA 660 covers both administrative and engineering requirements at facilities with combustible dust, and its goal is to minimize fires and explosions, help companies maintain business continuity, and, most importantly, protect workers and the public.
The same exoskeleton principles that protect grasshoppers, crabs and similar creatures could also help protect the 25,000 or so workers in the job with the highest injury and fatality rates in America: forestry. “Forestry is vitally important to our economy and our standard of living, but its workers pay a high price, with an injury rate that is 40 percent higher than the average of all other industries and fatality rates that are 20 to 30 times higher,” said Jeong Ho “Jay” Kim, PhD, a systems engineering expert with the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. In a recent 
Wildfires driven by climate change contribute to as many as thousands of annual deaths and billions of dollars in economic costs from wildfire smoke in the United States, according to a new study. The annual range of deaths was 130 to 5,100, the study showed, with the highest in states such as Oregon and California. The paper, published Friday in the journal 
A Washington timber company has been fined nearly $115,000 for child labor violations after a 17-year-old worker was injured while working in a logging operation. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries issued the citation against MVR Timber Cutting Inc. following an investigation into the incident. The investigation began in May 2024 when L&I received a report of a workplace injury involving the teen, who fractured his foot while jumping between tree stumps. Upon learning that the minor was working as a member of the company’s logging crew, L&I expanded its investigation. …In January, L&I fined MVR Timber Cutting Inc. $56,000 for allowing the minor to work in logging operations 56 times. State regulations prohibit minors under 18 from working in jobs requiring more extensive personal protective equipment than boots, gloves, and safety glasses. Additionally, state law bans teens from working in hard hat zones, prompting L&I to issue an additional $56,000 fine for the 56 violations of that regulation.
KINGSPORT, Tennessee – The Domtar Packaging Mill in Kingsport has operated for decades, and residents have noticed one significant aspect of the mill that some believe has caused community strife: the smell. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) is currently investigating three complaints about the odor from Domtar between March 31 and April 1. The TDEC said: “Although TDEC does not regulate odors, we do want to ensure that the facility is complying with its permit conditions.” …At the last Kingsport Economic Development Board meeting on April 1, Domtar updated the board on the wastewater treatment system plan. …The short-term plan involves reducing mill material losses and flow and optimizing the current wastewater treatment system. Domtar says this will last around a year. The long-term plan involves building a new anaerobic digester system. Domtar estimates that this project could take up to 18 months.
