The Government of Yukon provided an update on the wildfire weather outlook at a briefing on June 13. In summary: For the past month, the Yukon has had mixed weather. Conditions are dry through central Yukon (from Destruction Bay through Carmacks, Faro and Ross River). The rest of the territory, in the north and the south, is not very dry due to last fall’s rain and winter snowpack. This means the wildfires so far this year are not burning as deeply or intensely as last year’s wildfires. This past weekend and continuing through midweek, warmer dry conditions will escalate fire danger across the territory. Fire danger can be expected to rise gradually through the week, with more lightning-started wildfires. …This summer the Yukon has 24 wildfire crews in regional bases across the territory, comprising 10 Government of Yukon and 14 Yukon First Nations crews. 

Urban foresters managing green spaces in our communities respond to public demand for this vital infrastructure in settings under increased pressure from the effects of climate change and population growth. Vancouver’s iconic Stanley Park recently captured headlines following plans to remove looper moth-killed trees from the forest. Water scarcity and extreme heat are adding layers of complexity to urban landscape management. What can urban foresters tell us about this valuable community resource, along with present and emerging best practices in the field? What role do residents play in decisions surrounding living infrastructure in their neighbourhoods? Join us for an engaging expert panel discussion to answer these questions and more, including audience-generated queries. Moderated by UBC’s Richard Hamelin, with speakers Bruce Blackwell and Joe McLeod. Tuesday, June 25, 2024 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm PT | ONLINE

ALBERTA — When wolves are killed by bullets fired from helicopters during Alberta government culls, surviving members of the pack quickly learn to evade the threat, a new study has found. For nearly two decades, Alberta has killed off hundreds of grey wolves each year in an attempt to bolster dwindling caribou populations, a practice critics have described as a misguided measure to help herds on the brink recover from habitat loss. New research sheds light on how the practice alters the surviving wolves and warns of unintended consequences on threatened caribou and the broader boreal habitat. Researchers at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia… found that culls alter the behaviour of survivors by pushing them deeper into the forest to new hunting grounds — changes that may help caribou in the short term but could ultimately help wolf populations quickly recover from a slaughter.

Marking a pivotal moment for sustainable forestry practices and Indigenous stewardship of the land. We aim to unite Indigenous leaders, forestry professionals, environmentalists, and policymakers to explore the integration of traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern forestry management practices. We underscore the crucial role of collaboration and respect for Indigenous rights and territories in achieving ecological sustainability and unlocking economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. A significant focus will be on closing the economic gap, emphasizing the need for First Nations’ access to capital to participate meaningfully in the forest sector and creating opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs.