Wildfires challenge North America and Europe as fire season intensifies amid persistent heat and drought. In related news: BC’s Fraser Canyon fires force highway closures and evacuation orders; Ontario is battling 145 active fires; a Washington state wildfire crossed into BC; Central Oregon remains under Red Flag warnings; southwest France evacuated 12,000 people due to fire; and Spain continues to battle one of its largest wildfires on record.
In Forestry news: BC Wildfire Service used drones to ignite a controlled burn; the Tyee says BC is pushing into high-elevation forests; Oregon’s western state forests have a new management plan; Alaska advances bill supporting Native communities; and despite opposition pushback, US Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz defends his reorganization.
In Business news: US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defends proposed tariffs, which represent another blow to Canada’s forest industry; United Steelworkers say the federal government cannot be bullied; West Fraser is assessed limited exposure to US measures; a US trade court upheld softwood ruling on Les Produits Forestiers D&G; Northwood mill closure a gut punch for Prince George community; and next steps in Domtar’s Kingsport mill odor lawsuit.
Finally, Saanich council gives thumbs down to proposed Declaration on the Rights of the Tree.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor
United Steelworkers union (USW) Canadian National Director Marty Warren said… “President Trump has once again chosen confrontation over co-operation, directly threatening the livelihood of Canadian workers, and the future of industries and communities. The USW is particularly concerned with the Trump administration’s targeting of Canadian forest and wood products in this latest round of tariffs. Canadian forestry workers and producers are already under immense pressure because of illegal U.S. section 232 tariffs and unreasonable anti-dumping duties. These measures have nothing to do with fair trade and everything to do with leverage. They are another attempt to use economic coercion to force Canada into concessions that serve the interests of the United States. …When countries negotiate and sign an agreement such as CUSMA, each party should be expected to respect and honour its commitments. …The federal government should continue to negotiate, but we cannot be bullied.
The Trump administration’s latest tariff onslaught won’t just hurt Canadian forestry workers during already tough times, but will also undermine U.S. efforts to make housing more affordable, says the head of the Forest Products Association of Canada. “Overall for us, 98 tariff line items were added for forestry, which is a direct assault on our sector and on our workers here in Canada,” Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the association, said in an interview Wednesday. …“If implemented, these sweeping 50 per cent tariffs represent a drastic and unjustified barrier to a highly integrated North American supply chain,” said Ian Dunn, president and CEO of the Ontario Forest Industries Association. …The BC Council of Forest Industries counts 21 lumber mills that have closed since 2023. The council “urges a fair, long-term solution that avoids further economic harm in both countries,” said CEO Kim Haakstad, who was in Washington for meetings with US lawmakers. 
KINGSPORT, Tennessee — The next steps in a federal lawsuit against Domtar Corp. over Kingsport odor are to determine whether or not the lawsuit can proceed as a “class-action” lawsuit, according to legal documents. Two Kingsport residents and Domtar, the plaintiffs and the defendant, respectively, are expected to attend private mediation over the lawsuit by Dec. 15. Both parties agreed to separate parts of the lawsuit into different phases — whether the lawsuit should move forward as a class-action lawsuit, and the merits issue of the case — “for purposes of efficiency and to make this case significantly more manageable,” according to legal documents. The latest document related to the case available in PACER, an electronic database that provides public access to federal court documents, outlines deadlines throughout 2027 to litigate the lawsuit’s class designation.
West Fraser, North America’s top lumber producer, is taking a hit from President Trump’s latest round of tariffs on Canada. Its stock is one of the day’s worst performers among forest and building-products shares. The BC company that has sawmills and other wood-products facilities on both sides of the border is already contending with Trump’s 10% national-security tariff on lumber as well as the long-standing duties on Canadian softwood exports. The 50% tariffs Trump announced exempt softwood lumber but include plywood and specialty engineered wood products. West Fraser’s exposure should be minimal because most of its products slated for the 50% levy are sold in Canada, according to TD Cowen analysts. They estimate that just 1% of West Fraser’s aggregate sales would be exposed. And that is assuming that the tariffs stick. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]
Congress’ historic effort to boost the nation’s housing supply passed both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support and became law earlier this month. It also left a mountain of paperwork for Washington’s significantly shrunken federal agencies, which are now tasked with turning dozens of new policies into reality. Some of the lawmakers who pushed for the law worry that the Department of Housing and Urban Development — which has shed more than 30% of its core policy workforce in just three years following budget cuts — is too understaffed to quickly issue new rules and implement its provisions, aimed at making building and buying homes cheaper and easier. HUD Secretary Scott Turner is “up to the task, but you’ve got to have the underlying organization to get it done,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told reporters. …HUD’s budget estimates show the offices that run the department’s programs shed more than 1,800 staff since 2023.
…Now Canada’s forest industry, a pillar of our economy since colonial times, must also look itself in the mirror. …So does that mean the Americans are right? Republican John James, a U.S. Congressman from Michigan, blamed Canada for abdicating its “responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace.” The short answer is no. …but the responsibility lies not with Canada, per se; the main culprit is human-caused climate change. …The current U.S. administration has recklessly and suicidally turned its back on a transition to a low-carbon economy. …Meanwhile, our own federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has pulled away from Justin Trudeau’s bold moves to curb fossil-fuel use, and has instead championed pipelines. …The key, big-picture, is to transition to a low-carbon future. In the meantime, we can do a better job with forest management, informed by Indigenous knowledge, to avert or mitigate wildfire disaster. [Access to this story requires a Globe and Mail subscription]
Nk’Mip Forestry, with support from Siya Forestry, has planted more than 900,000 trees and native plants across Osoyoos Indian Band territory this year as part of the federal “2 Billion Trees Program.” The restoration project focuses on areas damaged by wildfire and other disturbances, including land severely burned during the 2021 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire where natural regeneration has been limited. “These sites were severely burned by the 2021 Nk’Mip Creek wildfire and were not regenerating on their own,” said Peter Flett, head of operations for Nk’Mip Forestry, in a press release issued Tuesday. “By planting now, we can help establish mixed-species forests that are better suited to future environmental conditions.” …In addition to restoring forests and wildlife habitat, the initiative is creating employment opportunities for local crews through seed collection, nursery work, planting and monitoring. The project is funded through the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Program
In the battle against one of the most significant forest fires of this summer, the BC Wildfire Service says that for the first time in Canada it has used a drone to ignite a controlled burn. …The wildfire service began testing remotely piloted aircraft systems on prescribed fires several years ago with the intent of using them alongside traditional aircraft and to support ground crews. The drones use a plastic sphere dispenser to drop fire into specific areas “controlling the spacing and intensity of the fires and avoiding placing firefighters in challenging or dangerous terrain.” …“The drone used for ignition is accompanied by observation drones outfitted with infrared and imaging capabilities, which gives us project intelligence not just during ignitions but through all phases of operations”. …The new technology improves firefighter safety and decision-making and helps the wildfire service “better protect communities and the environment,” it said.
A Saanich councillor’s attempt to recognize trees’ right to live will have to wait until next term. Saanich council voted down Coun. Nathalie Chambers’ motion to have the district endorse the principles of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Tree, which recognizes trees as vital living beings, deserving protection including the right to life, natural growth, integrity and regeneration. While all members of council took the opportunity to stress their love of trees, none supported the motion. Coun. Zac De Vries said the declaration was well-intentioned, but more clarity is needed about how it would affect current policies. …Chambers’ inspiration for the motion was the Quebec town of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, which last month voted to recognize trees as living beings with rights.
It was more than a decade ago that the Ontario government started to worry about its wildland firefighting program. In 2016, a report warned that fire rangers were quitting at an alarming rate, were less experienced than in previous years and were comparatively underpaid. Those issues have persisted ever since. Versions of the report repeated the warnings in 2018 and 2019, while an internal memo from 2022 warned of “an increase in the number of people leaving our organization for employment opportunities elsewhere.” …The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has pushed for major pay increases, to reclassify wildland firefighters as firefighters, not resource technicians, and more year-round jobs. …The government has vehemently denied claims it has failed to prepare for the fire season or that it is underfunding the fight to control the blazes.
Oregon forestry officials will need to manage hundreds of thousands of acres of western state forests to better support critical species, water and air quality and to decrease greenhouse gas emissions under a new management plan the Board of Forestry approved Wednesday. The seven-member board voted 5-2 to pass the 168-page 
With Environment Canada issuing heat warnings for several regions of British Columbia and temperatures expected to climb into the mid-30s in some areas of the province this week, WorkSafeBC is reminding employers to take steps to protect workers from heat-related illness. “Elevated temperatures increase the risk of heat stress and heat stroke, which can be serious and even life-threatening,” says Todd McDonald, head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. “These illnesses are preventable, and employers have a responsibility to take steps to protect workers, whether they are indoors or outdoors.” Between 2021 and 2025, WorkSafeBC accepted 335 heat-related injury claims, including 47 in 2025. …Outdoor workers in construction, agriculture, transportation, and public works are at higher risk. However, indoor workers — including those in kitchens, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities — may also be exposed to high heat, especially in spaces without air conditioning. To prevent heat stress, WorkSafeBC requires employers to conduct workplace-specific risk assessments and develop … safe work procedures. 
A wildfire in Washington State has crossed the border into B.C., the North Cascades National Park Service Complex says. Border 2 Fire, 2.4 kilometres east of Hozomeen just south of the Canada-U.S. border, crossed into B.C. and into the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest lands in the east, according to an update from the park service Wednesday (July 22). Border 1 and Border 2 wildfires combined and are now a total of 121 hectares. The fire is believed to be caused by lightning. The park service says the fire is burning in remote, steep, and densely forested and rocky terrain. Fire activity is expected to be elevated with upcoming hot, dry and windy conditions over the next few days until cooler weather conditions return to the area, the service added.
France has been battered by three heatwaves since May as part of increasingly common extreme weather episodes linked to climate change … and fuelling wildfires. The blaze in Le Porge, just south of Medoc wine country, had ripped through 2,400 hectares … since Wednesday, firefighters said. No casualties had been reported or homes destroyed so far. Skies in the coastal village of Le Porge, near the city of Bordeaux, were orange early on Thursday morning. Helicopters made repeated runs over houses with shuttered windows, as fire trucks rushed up and down the road. 12,000 people — tourists, as well as hundreds of residents living on the edge of the forest — had to evacuate. …Some 700 firefighters have been battling the flames on land, while several firefighting planes have been dumping water from the sky since the blaze erupted around midday on Wednesday. It then roared through the dense woodland, with flames soaring to 10 metres in some areas.
BARCELONA, Spain — Firefighters in central Spain battled a wildfire on Wednesday that has burned over 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) in one of the country’s largest blazes on record. The fire in rural Guadalajara comes less than two weeks after a deadly blaze devastated a small expat community in southern Spain. That small but extremely virulent fire killed 13 people, including several foreigners, in one of the southern European country’s deadliest wildfires. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday visited the fire-ravaged area in Guadalajara, and called for a pact between political parties to fight climate change. “Year after year we clearly see how climate change kills and destroys wealth in our communities,” Sánchez said in the village of Tamajón, located less than two hours by car northeast of Madrid. “This isn’t politics. It is science, it’s about facts.”