VANCOUVER—Two of the largest wildfires in British Columbia are now classified as “being held” after weeks of burning out of control and forcing people out of their homes. The BC Wildfire Service said Thursday the nearly 900-square-kilometre Sparks Lake fire burning north of Kamloops is contained, meaning suppression has been sufficient to ensure it is…
Total Active Wildfires Climb in B.C., but Crews Exploit Cooler Weather in Fire Fight
Crews are making progress against several destructive wildfires in British Columbia even as the latest statistics show the total number of fires in the province is edging toward 300 again. Data from the Ministry of Forests and Emergency Management BC show 291 wildfires were blazing in the province late Wednesday and more than 8,500 square…
Lawsuit Claims CN, CP Railways at Fault for Sparking Fire That Wiped out B.C. Town
VANCOUVER—A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railways caused or contributed to the wildfire that destroyed the Village of Lytton, B.C. The B.C. Supreme Court statement of claim filed Wednesday alleges the fire was set off by heat or sparks emanating from a CP freight train operated by CN employees on tracks…
Heat, Low Humidity and Wind Gusts Are Working Against Firefighting Cause in B.C.
VANCOUVER—High temperatures, low humidity and an increase in winds are making wildfire conditions challenging in southern British Columbia, says the provincial deputy forests minister. Rick Manwaring said there’s no rain in sight, temperatures are rising and gusty winds are expected across several parts of southern B.C. “With the heat comes lower relative humidity values and…
Some Evacuation Orders, Alerts, Lifted Near B.C. Wildfire but Heat Set to Return
Residents of nearly 400 properties on one flank of a destructive wildfire in British Columbia’s southern Interior are being allowed to head home. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has downgraded an evacuation order to an alert. It has also issued an all-clear for hundreds more homes threatened by the 557-square kilometre White Rock Lake wildfire burning…
Fast-Moving Fire Scorched Tires as Woman Fled From Monte Lake, B.C.
A man who lost his family home in Monte Lake, B.C., said his sister escaped while the tires on her vehicle were melting. Kevin Cooke said his sister Jackie Cooke left when told to by fire crews, but wasn’t able save her cats, birds or their mother’s ashes from the onrushing wildfire. She did manage…
Fires in Western Canada Creating Own Weather Systems, Experts Say
VANCOUVER—A combination of intense heat and drought conditions is causing wildfires in Western Canada to generate their own weather systems, experts say. Michael Fromm, a meteorologist with the United States Naval Research Laboratory, said the phenomenon is known as a pyrocumulonimbus firestorm and has been tracked this year in British Columbia, Saskatchewan Alberta, Manitoba and…
Wildfire in Lytton, B.C. a ‘Wake up Call’ to Take Precautions: Safety Board
A wildfire in Lytton, B.C., during historically high temperatures points to a serious need to prevent similar occurrences, says the chairwoman of the Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the possibility that a freight train could have been linked to the disaster. Kathy Fox said an update on the investigation will be provided in the…
Transport Minister Halts Trains Near Lytton, B.C. as Evacuees Make Temporary Return
OTTAWALytton—Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is ordering most trains in the vicinity of Lytton, B.C., to halt as residents return temporarily to the wildfire-scorched community. Alghabra says the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways must cease movement for 48 hours, except for emergency fire response and maintenance and repair work, on stretches of track spanning parts…
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