Excessive heat in BC, Washington and Oregon begets health and wildfire risk warnings. In related news: the heatwave persists in US Northeast and mid-South; wildfire and evacuations tick-up in the BC Kootenays, Alaska, and California; Greece and much of Europe experience a four-fold fire increase; and tragically, two helicopter pilots died fighting the Moose Fire near Salmon, Idaho.
In other news: First Nations announce old-growth deferral on Vancouver Island; facing charges – West Kootenay protesters file RCMP complaint; Resolute’s Thunder Bay mill receives green energy award; Paper Excellence expansion is called a bad deal; and the future of the Verso Wisconsin Rapids mill remains uncertain.
Finally, a Maine forest measures the role forests play in the fight against climate change.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
Lumber is a wild futures market. …The explosive and implosive price action in lumber is a function of its low liquidity. …Lumber is not a trading market but a leading indicator and barometer for the industrial commodities sector. Lumber’s recent decline ushered in an overall correction in many other industrial commodities over the past weeks and months. …Copper, crude oil, and other commodities followed wood lower. …Lumber was the first commodity to plunge, leading the other raw materials. Now that it has found at least a temporary bottom at a higher low, other commodities seem to be stabilizing. …Another test for the lumber market is on the horizon this week as the Fed increases the short-term Fed Funds Rate. …If lumber can hold above the mid-June $517 low, it will send a signal to other commodities that the recent corrections could be ending. 
Temperatures in the Okanagan are rising, which means the risk of the increased fire activity is too. The Kamloops Fire Centre says conditions don’t fully meet the criteria for a campfire ban yet, however, it could be implemented very soon if hot and dry conditions persist. “One of the indices that we look at when implementing bans and restrictions is the build-up index. That’s the amount of fuel available to burn and the dryness of those fuels. It does consider the fuel moisture content that could affect the fire’s intensity. With that being said, we have not met the threshold yet to implement that restriction,” said BC Wildfire Information Officer Karley Desrosiers. …Over the last week, 67 new fires sparked across the province, 47 being lightning-caused and 13 attributed to human activity. …by the end of the week, Category 2 and 3 open fires are expected to be banned right across BC.
In wood pellet plants, there is a risk of combustible dust deflagration propagation through interconnected equipment due to presence of ignition sources and dusty conditions. Deflagration isolation is technique for interrupting pressure and flames between connected equipment. This webinar from the Wood Pellet Association of Canada hosted by Kayleigh Rayner Brown is an overview presentation of the “Analysis of Deflagration Isolation in Wood Pellet Production for Safer Operation” report meant to enhance the ability of management and decision makers to effectively consider key areas of focus for deflagration isolation in wood pellet manufacturing. To view the webinar – 
The deadly heat wave scorching much of the US will continue Sunday, when the Northeast and mid-South regions are likely to be suffocated by temperatures feeling as hot as 105 degrees. More than 90 million people across the country are under various heat alerts for dangerously high temperatures. Sunday is expected to bring the hottest temperatures to the Northeast. …The extreme conditions — which experts note are becoming more common around the globe due to climate change — have led local officials to issue heat emergencies to allow for resources to aid in confronting the heat millions have been enduring. Officials are also imploring people to practice extreme caution when spending time outdoors, stay hydrated and check on vulnerable communities and neighbors. In the US, excessive heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths.
Hot, dry air moving westward from east of the Cascades along with a strong high pressure ridge will combine to keep Portland’s high temperatures searing through much of the week. While daytime highs likely won’t set any records, Portland will see some of the hottest temperatures so far this year, and a fairly long string of them as temps near 100 are likely Monday through at least Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning from noon Monday through 9 p.m. Thursday. Temperatures from 98-103 are possible. …Multnomah County and the City of Portland have issued emergency declarations ahead of this long stretch of high temperatures and are planning to open overnight cooling shelters as soon as Tuesday, in addition to providing other cooling options.
The Southeast Fire Centre is now the most active in the province. Between Thursday and Saturday, more than :quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/PYDBABNC5RBT3E4KUQYFV3NTRE.jpg)
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