The era of the mega-fire began in the late 1980s and unfortunately it did not peak in Fort McMurray last week. There are more – and probably bigger fires to come. Mega-fires are wildfires that are so intense, so fast moving and so large they are impossible to stop, even by the best-trained suppression crews….
Saskatchewan remains at risk to wildfires, although officials note that — so far this season — things are under control or contained. During a briefing with news media Friday, officials noted that there have been 117 fires so far this year, compared with 92 by the same time a year ago. They said there were dealing with…
All fire permits are suspended beginning Sunday morning in Thunder Bay as the city joins other municipalities in northwestern Ontario and the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in issuing a fire ban. The Ministry declared the region a restricted fire zone as of Saturday because of a “high to extreme” risk of forest fires…
This week, 18 human-caused forest fires have been reported already in Newfoundland and Labrador. Forest fire season began May 1 in Newfoundland, and begins May 15 in Labrador. It ends on Sept. 30 province wide. The Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development is reminding residents that forest fire regulations are being enforced. Residents…
By dousing small, regular fires, forest managers are creating the conditions for cataclysmic events, scientists have said. Fires in temperate forests are generally increasing in size and area. This is partly because of climate change. Fire seasons in many parts of the world are getting longer and drier. But equally important in the temperate forests…
As the Ontario Securities Commission’s case against Sino-Forest nears its end, questions remain about how enforceable any possible outcomes might be. Lawyers have been delivering their closing remarks over the past few weeks in what has been one of the most complex cases in the OSC’s history, encompassing more than 170 days of hearings, 22…
Canadian forestry company executives are eager for a new softwood lumber agreement but say they are not interest in a rumoured U.S. proposal to reinstate across-the-board quotas. Resolute Forest Products chief executive Richard Garneau says word surfaced last week that the U.S. is seeking quotas that would put a hard cap on how much lumber could be exported…
If the opposition parties want to debate the Paris Agreement on climate change, they now have their chance. Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna tabled the United Nations treaty in the House of Commons Friday. When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed it in New York on April 22, he said the agreement would be…
Canadian forest companies are no longer debating whether they will be hit with a softwood lumber duty, but how much pain the duties will cause, forest products analyst Paul Quinn told an international wood products conference Thursday. Although Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama told negotiators last March that they have…
The raging wildfire that has forced the evacuation of Fort McMurray, Alta., and engulfed parts of the community is the kind of blaze that firefighters dread, but could become more common, according to experts. Alternatively described by officials as “catastrophic,” a “multi-headed monster” and a “dirty, nasty” fire, the blaze is at least 10,000 hectares in area and has destroyed more than 1,600 structures. It…