Daily News for July 03, 2025

Today’s Takeaway

With Trump’s 90-day tariff pause set to expire, the US Lumber Coalition renews its attack on Canadian lumber

The Tree Frog Forestry News
July 3, 2025
Category: Today's Takeaway

With Trump’s 90-day tariff pause set to expire July 9, the US Lumber Coalition renews its attack on Canadian lumber. In other Business news: Tolko and Meadow Lake Tribal Council sign an MOU; BC builders welcome development cost changes; South Carolina turns to biomass to revive its forest economy; and Sweden’s VIDA names Måns Johansson as Vice Chair. Meanwhile: the USDA boosts mass timber capacity; North Carolina researchers develop Styrofoam packaging alternatives; Cincinnati unveils the first mass timber broadcast facility; and Finland’s Spinnova uses spiderweb science to turn wood pulp into textiles.

In Forestry news: FSC supports the EU’s anti-greenwashing directive; FSC Canada releases its annual report; SFI backs the G7 Wildfire Charter; Canada’s signature waterbomber gets a upgrade; BC faces tree canopy shortages; and Michigan trials assisted tree migration. In Wildfire news: the fire near Lytton, BC is being held, but a new fire grows to the north; and crews respond to an “out of control” blaze on Vancouver Island.

Finally, the EU will allow international carbon credits in its binding GHG emissions target.

Kelly McCloskey, Editor

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Business & Politics

Free important document replacements offered to wildfire victims

By Steve Berard
Energetic City
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada

OTTAWA — The federal government is taking steps to help people who have lost important documents as a result of wildfires this year. Lena Diab, the federal minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, announced special measures to help people displaced by wildfires and evacuations earlier this year. According to Diab’s announcement, Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose documents like passports, citizenship certificates and permanent resident cards were lost or damaged because of wildfires this year can apply for free replacements. …Temporary residents… who were impacted by wildfires can also apply to restore or extend their status in Canada or renew their permits free of charge. The 90-day requirement for temporary residents to apply for the restoration of their status is also being waived for people impacted by wildfires, and foreign emergency workers coming to help fight wildfires in Canada are having their application and biometric fees waived.

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US Self-Reliance in Softwood Lumber Hamstrung by Canadian Unfair Trade

By the US Lumber Coalition
PR Newswire
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

With its broad system of government subsidies and associated unfair trade practices, Canada is continuously displacing US production and US jobs through its sale of subsidized, below market value softwood lumber. Canada’s unfair trade practices cause US sawmills to lose sales and revenue, leading to mill curtailments and job cuts in communities across America. “Canada’s built-for-export excess softwood lumber production capacity is huge and unsustainable, at around 8 billion board feet,” stated Andrew Miller, Chairman. “And Canada’s focus on maintaining its US market share at any cost is hugely detrimental the profitability and growth of the US softwood lumber industry.” “Demand for housing remains weak and so does demand for lumber. Yet Canada continues its relentless shipments of dumped and subsidized lumber,” added Miller. … Zoltan van Heyningen said …”We reject the efforts of the National Association of Homebuilders to fight against President Trump’s goal of U.S. softwood lumber self-reliance.”

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B.C. builders welcome New Democrat Party changes to development cost charges as housing starts falter

By Alec Lazenby
The Vancouver Sun
July 3, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The NDP government is making changes to development cost charges that builders say could help reduce the burden they face as material and labour costs continue to increase and the number of projects under construction drop. Starting in 2026, builders will only have to pay 25 per cent of their fees to municipalities up front and will be able to defer the remaining 75 per cent for four years or until people move into the building. The fees help cover the cost of infrastructure such as community centres, roads, sewers and parks. The changes will also allow developers to use bonds instead of irrevocable letters of credit as financial guarantees, allowing them to preserve access to capital throughout the project. Wendy McNeil, CEO of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver, said the changes will allow builders certainty when it comes to the cost of the project and the timeframe for making payments to municipalities.

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Lumber for Nations program supports Indigenous building projects — partnership between Meadow Lake Tribal Council and Tolko

Tolko Industries Ltd.
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

SASKATCHEWAN — The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) and Tolko Industries Ltd. (Tolko) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishing a Lumber for Nations Program. The Lumber for Nations Program aims to support building projects in the Indigenous communities represented by MLTC. It provides both purchasing opportunities and product donations to help community-supported projects come to life. The MOU was signed for an initial period of five years and may be renewed by mutual agreement between the Parties. “MLTC is pleased to collaborate with Tolko in providing additional direct benefits of finished wood products, from our lumber and OSB mills, for use by MLTC’s First Nation communities,” says Tribal Chief Jeremy Norman. “I applaud the leadership of Tolko in taking this step with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.”

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Trump’s tariff pause is set to expire, threatening a trade war flare-up

By Shannon Pettypiece and Steve Kopack
NBC News
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States

President Donald Trump’s trade war risks reigniting next week when a temporary pause on sweeping tariffs is set to expire… While Trump and administration officials recently indicated the deadline might be pushed back, the president told reporters Tuesday that he wasn’t planning an extension and is informing countries of their new tariff rates. He said it has been harder than planned to make trade deals with a number of foreign governments because they are “spoiled from having ripped us off for 30, 40 years.” “We’re going to determine a number just very simply, write them a nice letter,” Trump said. “Probably one page or a page and a half at the most, and it’s going to be, ‘Congratulations. It’s going to be an honor to allow you to go and do business in the United States of America,’ because it really is an honor to be able to do that.”

Additional coverage in Money Week by Katie Williams: Will “Liberation Day” strike again?

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Donald Trump’s tariffs test a legacy Maine industry that global trade decimated

By Lori Valigra
Bangor Daily News
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

Simon Varney pre-ordered extra hardwood from Canada in February when President Donald Trump threatened broad 25 percent import tariffs on goods from that country. The next month, the administration exempted that wood. That left Varney, co-owner of Wells Wood Turning & Finishing in Buckfield, spending more money ahead of time and holding onto extra inventory, eating into cash flow. Ironically, the pearlescent gold pigment the company purchased from its Vermont supplier to make its famous wooden eggs for the White House Easter Egg Roll — a color specifically requested by the president in both of his terms in office — had to be imported from Germany and falls under Trump’s tariffs. “The tariffs were a real concern because they basically would raise our wood costs by 25 percent, which is pretty significant,” Varney said. “The wood manufacturing business is not a high margin or high profitability business.”

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Vida names Måns Johansson as the new Vice Chair

VIDA
July 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International

Måns Johansson

SWEDEN — Vida announced today that following six years as CEO, Måns Johansson, will be taking on a new role within the group as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Vida AB, and he will also continuing as President for Canfor Europe. …“I am excited about the future of Vida and, in my new role, I look forward to continuing to have a role with Vida and the forestry industry,” added Måns Johansson. Karl-Johan Löwenadler will assume the role of CEO of Vida AB effective of October 1st.  Karl-Johan started at Vida in 1998 and initially worked as a planner at the sawmill in Bellö. Karl-Johan increasingly focused on sales at the then-newly established company Vida Wood, where he became CEO in 2019.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Scaling up mass timber: Closing gaps, fueling innovation

By Brian Brashaw
USDA US Forest Service
July 2, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States

Mass timber is transforming how America builds—but supply hasn’t kept pace with demand. A gap in domestic manufacturing has slowed widespread adoption, leaving many developers with few options beyond overseas suppliers or traditional steel and concrete. Through strategic support from the USDA Forest Service Wood Innovations Program, the Forest Service is helping close that gap—boosting U.S. capacity, strengthening rural economies and growing new markets for American wood. One partner answering the call is SmartLam North America. Mass timber products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam) offer a carbon-storing, renewable alternative to conventional building materials. But even as the benefits are clear—strength, fire resistance, design flexibility—developers have faced supply constraints. Limited domestic production has slowed construction timelines, raised costs and stifled innovation.

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Forest Biomaterials Researchers Developing Sustainable Alternative to Plastic Foam Packaging

By Andrew Moore
North Carolina State University
July 2, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Researchers in the Department of Forest Biomaterials are developing a proprietary material that could serve as a sustainable alternative to one of the world’s most significant sources of pollution: plastic foam.  “Our material eliminates polystyrene foam materials that are filling landfills and persisting as litter in the environment,” said Richard Venditti, the Elis-Signe Olsson Professor of Pulp and Paper Science and Engineering. Plastic foam, often known by the brand name Styrofoam, is used in many everyday products — from disposable food and beverage containers like cups and plates to shipping materials such as packing peanuts and protective packaging. While convenient, plastic foam presents a significant environmental challenge due to its lack of biodegradability and difficulty in recycling. Estimates indicate that plastic foam takes up to 30% of landfill space globally. 

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Inside the 1st Mass Timber Broadcast Facility in the US

Commercial Property Search
July 2, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood is now home to a development unlike any other in the country: a fully mass timber broadcast facility. Built by Skanska with cross-laminated timber components assembled in just over five weeks, the 35,000-square-foot Cincinnati Public Radio headquarters marks a premier in both design and delivery. The $32 million project is both the first modern mass timber building in the city and the first broadcast center in the U.S. built entirely from cross-laminated timber. …Skanska brought deep technical expertise to the project and coordinated closely with Emersion DESIGN, WSDG and Nordic Structures to deliver this first-of-its-kind facility. We asked Jeff Smoker, who served as project manager during construction and now works as preconstruction manager with the construction and development company, to take us behind the complex logistics, integrated sustainability and acoustic precision of this milestone project.

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Weaving the future: How Siemens and Spinnova are reinventing the future of textiles

By Atharva Gosavi
Interesting Engineering
July 3, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: International

The fashion industry is often seen as a voracious, thirsty villain that extracts billions of liters of water out of the environment. …These conditions are the biggest ‘WHY’ for Spinnova, a Finnish startup that works tirelessly to create technology for sustainable natural fibers to match its growing demand. …But before we delve into the details, would you believe the core idea for Spinnova was actually born from… a spiderweb? Back in 2009, Juha Salmela, a cellulose expert from Finland attended an Oxford University conference. He heard a presentation from a leading spider researcher, who explained the similarities between spiderweb’s protein and nanocellulose. And, that happened to be his Eureka moment. What if wood fiber could be spun into textile fiber in a similar manner? Fast forward to 2023, the wood-based Spinnova fiber was born. …The process at Spinnova starts with sourcing cellulose-rich raw materials such as FSC-certified wood pulp.

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Forestry

Canadian-built waterbomber gets upgrade for global wildfire fight

By Jeffrey Jones
The Globe and Mail
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

With wildfires wreaking more devastation around the world each year, Canada has what other countries want: an aircraft that keeps proving itself. De Havilland Aircraft of Canada’s twin-engine firefighter planes are renowned for their manoeuvrability, and for expertly skimming along bodies of water to fill up with large volumes to dump on infernos – and do it repeatedly. …The Canadair 515 is the first new model of the waterbomber to go into production since 2016. …De Havilland is producing the 515 in stages in Victoria and Calgary with parts from across the country. It is designed with an upgraded flight deck kitted out with the latest in avionics, aimed at bolstering safety and reliability in the harsh conditions in which the company’s planes already excel. The waterbomber is also built with improved materials, including advanced composites and polymers, and corrosion protection. First deliveries are scheduled for 2028. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]

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Forest Stewardship Council Canada News & Views

Forest Stewardship Council Canada
July 3, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

In the July news you’ll find these headlines and more:

  • Explore FSC Canada’s achievements during 2024 in our Annual Report
  • Join us for FSC Forest Week – September 20-26, 2025 – Be part of this global campaign to help raise awareness about the importance of responsible forestry.
  • Guidebook to Support Smallholders and Community Forests is Here
  • Podcast: Demystifying FSC Chain of Custody audits

 

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Sustainable Forestry Initiative welcomes G7 Kananaskis Wildfire Charter

Sustainable Forestry Initiative
June 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Ottawa, Canada —The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) welcomes the G7 Kananaskis Wildfire Charter and its emphasis on a “whole of society approach” to preventing, responding to, and recovering from extreme wildfires. The Charter, an outcome of the G7 leaders meeting in Alberta earlier this month, outlines a comprehensive global framework that includes science-based mitigation and adaptation strategies such as sustainable forest management, Indigenous-led land stewardship, the use of fire as a positive tool for forest management, data sharing, and collaborative systems to address wildfire-related health and safety risks. …”we’ve long understood that sustainably managed forests can be a solution in wildfire mitigation and adaptation strategies, and we are pleased to have the financial support from Environment & Climate Change Canada, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Doris Duke Foundation to support forest health and resiliency,” said Kathy Abusow, President & CEO of SFI. 

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Without more trees, B.C.’s next heat dome could be even deadlier

Dr. Bethany Ricker, David Quigg and Dr. Melissa Lem
Victoria Times Colonist
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Four years ago, British ­Columbia endured the ­deadliest weather event in recorded ­Canadian history. The 2021 heat dome claimed the lives of more than 600 ­people, many of whom died alone in overheated homes. As we mark the fourth anniversary of this devastating mass casualty event with record-breaking heat elsewhere in the country, we must confront a troubling truth: B.C. remains dangerously unprepared for the next one. Despite some advancements, including updated building codes, rebates for heat pumps and a now-depleted $30-million fund to provide vulnerable households with air conditioning units, one of the most critical aspects of climate readiness has seen little to no progress. In fact, it’s getting worse. Our communities are rapidly losing tree canopy, green space and permeable surfaces — the very elements that keep cities cooler during extreme heat.

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With classroom temperatures soaring, schoolyards need more trees

By Peter Kutenbrouwer
The Globe and Mail
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

The other day, in the midst of a heat wave that suffocated central Canada, this newspaper brought us the story of a five-year-old at a public school in Ottawa, sent to hospital for heat exhaustion. The accompanying photo shows the child and his mother seated on a picnic table in the schoolyard, surrounded by grass and pavement – and one tree. As a forester, I volunteer with a program of Forests Canada called Forestry in the Classroom, whose goal is to connect ”the next generation of forest stewards with forestry and environmental professionals.” This spring I visited a school in north Toronto to take a class of Grade 5 students to a nearby forested ravine, to help them identify trees and to evaluate tree health. On my arrival at the school, I was shocked to find the playground a barren wasteland. 

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We Are Living in the Age of Fire. And It’s Only Going To Get Worse

By Stephan Maher
Time Magazine
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

The hills of Louis Creek Valley are covered in lovely, towering Douglas fir, healthy evergreens climbing from the grassy meadow at the valley floor up to the ridges where the mountains meet the sky. It’s lush, like much of interior British Columbia, where densely packed conifers line the innumerable wooded valleys, the heavy cone-laden branches reaching down to the ground.  Joe Gilchrist, a fire steward of Secwepemc people, and a firefighter for more than 30 years, stands on the valley floor and looks at the beautiful trees. But what he sees first is danger. “It’s been over 100 years since it’s been illegal for Indigenous people to use fire on the land, and so in that time, the trees have overgrown the area, and some of the trees have got diseased,” he says. 

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Join Thousands of Professionals Shaping the Future of Forest Products Manufacturing at Forest Products EXPO 2025

The Southern Forest Products Association
July 3, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

The clock is ticking to register and make plans for the 38th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment EXPO from August 6-8 in Nashville, and you do not want to miss it! EXPO is the epicenter of the entire wood products manufacturing sector – held only every other year – with numerous exhibitors showcasing state-of-the-art machinery and specialized services designed for the forest products industry. This event brings together thousands of industry leaders and decision-makers eager to explore cutting-edge products and solutions, spanning advancements in hardwood and softwood log processing, remanufacturing, pallet industries, bioenergy, engineered wood products, and pressure treatment. Seize this unparalleled opportunity to explore new machinery, engage with key decision-makers, reimagine your sawmill operations, and propel your business to new heights.

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Washington forest health survey finds 545,000 acres of stressed or dead trees

By Emily Fitzgerald
Washington State Standard
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US West

More than half a million acres of trees spread across Washington were sick, struggling, or dead last year, according to the results of an aerial survey of forests by the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Surveyors identified about 545,000 acres with some level of tree mortality, defoliation, or disease, the department said this week. That’s less than 1% of the total forestland surveyed. The amount of forest with problems is up nearly 30,000 acres from 2023 and more than the 10-year average of 519,000 acres, but well below the acres mapped with diseased or dead trees in 2022, according to the Department of Natural Resources. The Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service partnered to conduct an aerial survey of 22 million forested acres in Washington state to observe recently killed and damaged trees. They carried out the survey between June and September last year.

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Rayonier Completes Sale of New Zealand Business to The Rohatyn Group

By Rayonier Inc.
Business Wire
June 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East, International

WILDLIGHT, Florida –Rayonier announced the completion of the previously announced sale of entities holding its 77% interest in the New Zealand joint venture to a special purpose vehicle owned by an investment fund managed by The Rohatyn Group (“TRG”) for a purchase price of $710 million. …Rayonier continues to anticipate using at least 50% of the proceeds to reduce leverage and/or return capital to shareholders through special dividends and share repurchases. …“We want to extend our gratitude to the team in New Zealand, which has done an outstanding job in managing these highly productive assets, and we are pleased to transfer the stewardship of this business to TRG, a well-regarded manager of forestry assets in the region,” added McHugh.

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Can Michigan’s forests survive climate change? One researcher is finding out

Emilio Ibarguen, Michigan Environment Watch
Bridge Michigan
July 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

Jeremy Johnson

As Michigan’s climate warms, tree species like red pine and eastern white pine may no longer thrive here. Their native regions are moving north faster than forests can keep up with. …To help forests stand a chance, Michigan State University forest genetics professor Jeremy Johnson is experimenting with “assisted tree migration.” …“We can improve the genetic gain in those trees and start an orchard where we have seed that is adapted to the future climates”. Johnson is backed by a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which he’ll use to plant thousands of trees at nine sites across the state and spend the next 20 years tracking their performance. …Johnson hopes to find individual trees with traits that help them survive in the simulated conditions. Their seeds can then be planted on the edges of existing forests where they can cross-pollinate with other trees and spread those traits, making the forests more resilient.

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Forest Stewardship Council stands with the EU Green Claims Directive

Forest Stewardship Council
July 1, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) reaffirms its support for the Green Claims Directive (GCD) and the Empowering Consumers Directive (ECD) and welcomes the European Commission’s recent decision not to withdraw the GCD proposal. These legislations are critical in the fight against greenwashing and ensuring that consumers have access to accurate, reliable, and verifiable information. FSC, together with ISEAL, has contributed concrete feedback into the GCD and ECD discussions since their onset, with the aim of raising the bar for environmental claims and ensuring the provisions will work in practice. Together, the two proposals offer a powerful framework to ensure that environmental claims and labels placed on the EU market are trustworthy and transparent. Labels rooted in robust, independent certifications like FSC, support companies to enhance accountability and consumer trust.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

As it searches for new markets, can South Carolina’s forestry industry tap into energy?

By Lucy Valeski
The State
July 2, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: United States, US East

After Georgetown’s International Paper mill shut down at the end of last year, the pressure is on for South Carolina’s forestry industry to find new local markets. The solution may be as simple as burning wood, a type of renewable energy. …South Carolina produces wood pellets but much of the product is shipped abroad. …Some lawmakers hope wood biomass specifically could address two problems the state faces: the forestry industry’s need for new local markets and consumers’ demand for more energy. State lawmakers attempted to address the latter in the South Carolina Energy Security Act. The new law is aimed at generating more energy in the state. …Forestry industry leaders delivered a report at the beginning of 2025 highlighting the economic impact of the closures. The short report, led by the SC Forest Recovery Task Force, identifies potential markets where the forestry industry could expand. Biomass tops the list.

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European Union includes international CO2 credits in climate goal for first time

By Kate Abnett
Reuters
July 2, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: International

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed an EU climate target for 2040 that for the first time will allow countries to use carbon credits from developing nations to meet a limited share of their emissions goal. The European Union executive proposed a legally-binding target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, from 1990 levels – aiming to keep the EU on course for its core climate aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050. But following pushback from governments including France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, the Commission also proposed flexibilities that would soften the 90% emissions target for European industries. Reflecting Germany’s public stance, up to 3 percentage points of the 2040 target can be covered by carbon credits bought from other countries through a U.N.-backed market, reducing the effort required by domestic industries. 

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Forest Fires

Wildfire closest to Lytton, B.C., being held — but fire north of village grows

By Akshay Kulkarni
CBC News
July 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Evacuation orders related to Nikaia Creek wildfire now rescinded, but Highway 12 closed north of Lytton. A wildfire burning closest to Lytton, B.C., is not expected to grow beyond current perimeters, leading to evacuation orders being rescinded in the area. …However, the Izman Creek wildfire north of the village has grown significantly over the last two days. As a result, Highway 12 remains closed to most traffic between Lillooet and Lytton. The Izman Creek fire covers an area of 130 hectares as of 8:20 p.m. PT Wednesday, more than quadrupling in size from 25 hectares recorded on Tuesday night. …B.C. Wildfire Service information officer Taylor Stewart Shantz said the crews dealing with the Izman Creek wildfire were facing challenging conditions, which meant they couldn’t fight it head-on and would have to use indirect attack methods. …Both fires are suspected to have been human caused, with the region under a high or extreme fire danger rating.

Additional coverage by Brenna Owen, Canadian Press: Fire again threatens Lytton, B.C., one of hundreds of blazes across Canada

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‘Out of control’ wildfire between Cowichan Valley and Port Renfrew

By Liz Brown
Chek News
July 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

BC Wildfire Services says it’s responding to a wildfire on Vancouver Island spotted Wednesday and deemed out of control at this time. Discovered on July 2, in the Harris Creek area between the Cowichan Valley and Port Renfrew, the wildfire reportedly spans two hectares. “There are currently 3 Initial Attack Crews responding to this wildfire,” states BCWS’ latest update. Additionally, two helicopters and airtankers are responding, as well as two pieces of heavy equipment. The service says it suspects the wildfire is human-caused. BCWS provided its latest update on this fire at 4:42 p.m. Wednesday. Further north on the Island, a wildfire near Nahmint Mountain, between Port Alberni and Tofino is deemed under control but according to BCWS, crews will remain in the area for some time.

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