Saskatchewan Environment Minister Herb Cox says there are “relatively normal conditions” ahead of the forest-fire season, after historic blazes last year. There was some concern earlier this year due to below-normal snowfall and generally warmer temperatures over much of northern Saskatchewan this winter. Saskatchewan also recalled firefighting crews early as it prepared for what was…

With dry conditions and dozens of blazes already burning across Alberta, Premier Rachel Notley said Tuesday her government’s decision to slash the wildfire budget by $15 million this year won’t impact the province’s firefighting efforts. The province was criticized this week after its budget showed cuts to tanker contracts by $5.1 million and its base wildfire management budget by…

Looking for a new way to obtain fresh produce? This floating urban forest has your back.Swale, a barge topped with a forest of trees and edible plants, will be docking in Brooklyn, Governors Island and the Bronx this June. The 80 feet by 30 feet barge and collaborative floating food project will let people on…

The BC government is speeding up its planning for wildfire season now that dozens of fires are already burning across the province. Almost 50 fires were started province-wide yesterday alone. Thirty-seven of the new fires started in the Prince George Fire Centre. Evacuation orders or alerts have been issued for several communities. Forests Minister Steve…

The Peace River Regional District in northern B.C. has declared a state of emergency due to several forest fires in the area. The district said about 48 wildfires were burning in the region Monday night. Evacuation orders and evacuation alerts have been issued for parts of the Baldonnel community near Fort St. John, as well as at Charlie Lake. The…

You’ve got to get an education to have a career in forestry management these days. But it’s still important to see how things work in the “real world”—especially if it’s a different world from the one you’ve been learning about in the classroom for the last two years. That’s why 26 second-year students from Selkirk…

The same day air tankers took to the sky to douse wildfires near Slave Lake, Paul Lane was telling his pilots the grim news that last week’s provincial budget could put them out of work. Despite coming out of what Lane describes as “the busiest fire season in 25 years,” the provincial government has cut its…

BC Wildfire Service crews have responded to 59 wildfires since April 1, including 12 in the Prince George Fire Centre, the British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said on Friday. Almost all of the wildfires were human-caused, and wildfires caused by people unnecessarily divert firefighting crews and resources from naturally occurring fires, the…

Fire crews in British Columbia are continuing their efforts to suppress a wildfire burning three kilometres south of the Nazko community, the province’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said on Tuesday. As of Tuesday, the Nazko fire was 60% contained by BC Wildfire Service crews, the ministry said in a media release. The fire…

It’s not nearly as much as Canoe Forest Products asked for, but Salmon Arm councillors are giving the company a tax break that will be picked up by property owners and businesses. On Monday, council approved the shift of $25,000 to general municipal taxes from Class 4 (Major Industry). Chief financial officer Monica Dalziel advised…