Canada wildfires News

Canada on Track to See Worst-Ever Wildfire Season

Canada is on track to see its worst-ever wildfire season in recorded history if the rate of land burned continues at the same pace. The country is experiencing an unprecedented amount of fire activity for this early in the season, …

Wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic Coast Prompts Evacuation of 16,000, Damages Properties

A wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic coast has damaged about 200 houses and other structures and prompted the evacuation of 16,000 people, many of whom were eager to return Tuesday to see whether homes and pets had survived. Firefighters worked through …

Update: Wildfires Rage Across Canada’s Gas Heartland, Cutting Production

Wildfires raging across western Canada forced the evacuation of 30,000 residents and cut at least 234,000 barrels a day of oil and gas production as companies shut down wells and pipelines. A total of 100 blazes were burning Monday afternoon, …

Canada’s Insured Catastrophe Losses Exceed C$2 Billion in 2021: CatIQ

Canada’s total insured catastrophe losses were C$2.04 billion (US$1.63 billion) to date, landing the year in the top five loss years for the country, according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). Further, with 14 events incurring at least C$25 …

Flood-Stricken British Columbia Weighs Cost of Climate-Proofing Infrastructure

CALGARY, Alberta – Flood-stricken British Columbia is considering major upgrades to its highway network to make it more resilient to climate change risks, as the province starts reconstruction work after last week’s devastating floods. Upgrades would include building longer bridges …

Climate Change Could Fuel Atmospheric Rivers, Which Caused Recent Canada Floods

Atmospheric rivers of the kind that drenched California and flooded British Columbia in recent weeks will become larger — and possibly more destructive — because of climate change, scientists said. Columns in the atmosphere hundreds of miles long carry water …

Insured Price Tag for Canada’s Summer Storms and Wildfires Nears C$200M

Two storms that raged across Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada in July and August caused C$120 million (US$94.5 million) in insured damage, while the August wildfire, in White Rock Lake, British Columbia, is now estimated to have caused damages of …

Canada Orders Rail Transport Restrictions in Areas with High Wildfire Risk

OTTAWA – Canada on Sunday ordered rail transport restrictions for areas where there is a high wildfire risk after a blaze wiped out the town of Lytton, British Columbia, and killed two people earlier this month. The order will require …

Record High Temperatures Hit Nordic Region, Arctic Circle, Adding to Wildfire Dangers

Record-high temperatures from Canada to Scandinavia and intense wildfires flaring up from California to Russia’s Far East are adding to extreme weather events recorded at the start of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Temperatures in several towns in the …

Canada Must Address Rising Costs of Natural Disasters, Says Research Group

Canada should accelerate measures, including financing mechanisms, to help governments, companies and individuals prepare for the rising costs of weather-related disasters, according to a research institute. The cost of floods, wildfires and other catastrophic events has increased sharply over the …