Mercer Mass Timber to receive $7M to modernize and grow its BC glulam production by 25%. In other Business news: Unifor speaks out on the closure of RYAM’s Témiscaming, Quebec plant; the Maine Pellet Fuels Association received $100K for market development; and US housing starts, building permits and completions all rose in June. Meanwhile, the Canadian Wood Council is encouraged by Canada’s Green Building Strategy; the National Wood Flooring Summit kicked off in Washington DC; and the latest on Australia’s Timber Construct 2024.
In Wildfire news: 14 states urge feds to declare wildfire smoke and extreme heat as major disasters; Portland State researchers work to strengthen Oregon’s defences; US Forest Service helicopter pilot hikes to safety after crash in Idaho; wildfire smoke from Canada sweeps into NY City; 47 new wildfires reported in Alberta; BC is at the mercy of weather with thunderstorms in the forecast; wildfire danger raised to extreme on Vancouver Island; and rain is welcomed in Labrador City’s wildfire battle.
Finally, a new study says the world’s forests continue to capture carbon despite climate challenges.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Ottawa, Canada – The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) is encouraged by the release of the 
Summer 2024 will be one to remember for five students selected as winners of Forest Products Association of Canada’s (FPAC) Green Dream Internship Program. Launched in 2013, the national initiative highlights the perspectives and experiences of students working in the forest sector over a six-week period, accompanied by a $1,000 scholarship to support their education. Throughout the program, Green Dream Interns will use social media to share their personal insights into forestry careers and the forest sector.
It didn’t take many hot July days to dry out the forest floor on southern Vancouver Island enough to trigger an “extreme” fire-danger rating. And the recent spate of hot weather is not expected to end any time soon in Greater Victoria and other Island communities. “It’s going to keep drying out those forest fuels and it’s going to get them really susceptible to ignition,” said Sam Bellion, information officer for the Coastal Fire Centre. Bellion said the extreme fire-danger rating is in effect from Victoria to Shawnigan Lake, and from the Hillbank area of Duncan to Nanaimo — including Gabriola Island. Most of the rest of the Island is rated “high” for fire danger, and that won’t change without a good dousing of rain, Bellion said. Colwood Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Greg Chow said the public needs to be aware of the extreme fire danger…
The world’s forests have absorbed more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide over the past three decades, but they need more protection, according to a new study. Professors Oliver Phillips and Simon Lewis from the School of Geography contributed to the tropical component of the global study, which assessed how the most carbon-rich, species-rich forests have responded to climate change and other threats since 1990. The study, entitled “The enduring world forest carbon sink,” is published in Nature. It combined long-term ground measurements with remote sensing data to measure the volume of carbon dioxide absorbed by forests across the world. The results showed that forests have absorbed more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide over the past 30 years, nearly half of the carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels over the same period. However, they are facing threats from deforestation and wildfires. This study makes recommendations for their protection and restoration.
The wildfire situation in the Central Interior will be at the mercy of the weather for the next few days. A warning for extreme heat issued Tuesday by Environment Canada remains in place for the region with the daytime high for Prince George forecast to hit 34 C on Thursday. A campfire ban for most of the province also remains in place. A risk of thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons is also in the cards. “Hot and dry conditions are set to continue into the latter half of the week into the weekend, with widespread thunderstorms and strong winds forecast for Friday and Sunday,” said B.C. Wildfire Service. Crews continue work to contain the wildfire that broke out last week in Ancient Forest-Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park east of Prince George. The size of the fire remained listed as unchanged at 39 hectares but still out of control. 
