State of emergency lifted in Fort Albany First Nation
This Ministry of Natural Resources aerial photo shows the drop in water levels in Fort Albany First Nation. (MNR photo)
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CBC
36 minutes ago
- CBC
B.C. provincial park evacuated, RCMP appeal for info on Squamish wildfire
The mayor of Squamish, B.C., said he knew it was a stressful time for residents, as an out-of-control wildfire burns in hills above the community where a local state of emergency was declared this week. But Armand Hurford said crews are making good progress and the community about 50 kilometres north of Vancouver is not in immediate danger. "It's alarming language, [but] it's an important tool," he said of the emergency declaration at a briefing on Thursday. "The town is functioning. Kids are going to school, the buses are running on time, the cafés are busy, and this isn't a situation at this time where the town at large is in danger." The Dryden Creek fire was just five hectares in size on Tuesday when the District of Squamish declared the emergency. It had reached 59 hectares by Thursday, nearly tripling in size from the day before when it got within about 40 metres of homes. Aaron Foote, the chief of Squamish Fire Rescue, said at Thursday's briefing that crews had been installing structural protection on homes closest to the wildfire, but the fight had "gone very favourably overnight." He said command of the fire fight would be transferred from his department to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) in the days ahead. The district said the BCWS and Squamish Fire Rescue had recommended the closure of Alice Lake Provincial Park and an evacuation order was issued. In a statement to CBC News, B.C. Parks said staff helped more than 80 camping parties leave the park following the closure. The district said in a social media post late Wednesday that the fire was not actively threatening park facilities but was growing toward access routes and the smoke had resulted in reduced visibility. The district later said visibility had improved, allowing helicopters to begin bucketing Thursday morning. The Squamish Nation said in a post that it had removed all valuable items from the Alice Lake long house as a precautionary measure. The BCWS said the fire is suspected to be human caused, which led to a police investigation and a Squamish RCMP appeal for information. The Mounties said in a news release that they were informed of smoke on the hillside at the end of Tantalus Road on Monday around 5:30 p.m. But they say it is believed to have been started around 4 p.m. that day on a bike trail, so officers are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact police. The Squamish fire is one of about 100 wildfires burning throughout B.C., most of which are in the province's northeast.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
New mapping to increase Quebec homes in flood zones by about 30%
The number of Quebec homes located in flood zones will likely increase by 30 per cent when new maps are introduced next year, the province's environment minister said Thursday. At a news conference on Quebec's new guidelines to manage flooding, Benoit Charette said the government's goal is to protect people and their properties, and to make sure residents understand the risk they're exposed to. The number of homes in flood zones, he said, should rise to 35,000 from about 25,000. "We want to make sure people have the right information about where they live," he said. "Today that's not the case because many of these [maps] are as old as 30 years, so they're not up to date." The new maps have not been published and the new framework only comes into effect in March 2026. Charette said that as of next year, the province will begin identifying flood risks on a categorical scale — low, moderate, high and very high. The existing system identifies risk on the probability that a certain level of flooding will happen in any given year. For instance, some areas are in a flooding recurrence zone of 0-20 years, which has a one in 20, or more than 5 per cent chance of flooding each year. Charette said the province will create next year a fifth risk zone, associated with homes that are located behind a "flood protection structure," such as a dike or retaining wall, that meets a set of criteria defined by the province. The government has said the new rules are necessary due to climate change, and were conceived after major flooding in 2017 and 2019 that caused an estimated total of more than $1 billion in damages. Some mayors have expressed concerns that the new maps will prevent some residents from being able to purchase flood insurance, and that values will plummet if homes are located in newly identified flood zones. They also criticized the province last year for holding consultations before publishing the new maps. Charette on Thursday struck a reassuring tone, saying most of the homes that will be added to flood zone maps will likely be in the lowest-risk categories. He said the value of homes has continued to rise, including in flood zones. "And an important element — you've heard me say it a few times over the last year — we aren't creating new flood zones through this process, we're simply identifying them," he said. Quebec estimated last year that 77,000 homes could be in flood zones, but that number has since been downgraded. The province made clear that nobody would be forced to relocate their homes under the new management plan. However, new construction will not be allowed in very high-risk zones; homes destroyed by flooding in those zones will not be permitted to be rebuilt.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Cooler temperatures across the region this evening
Tonight's weather will drop down to 11 degrees in London, with single digit temperatures heading into Mount Forest and the Bruce Peninsula. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Tonight's weather will drop down to 11 degrees in London, with single digit temperatures heading into Mount Forest and the Bruce Peninsula. 'Heading into your Friday we are expecting to start the day with some sunshine,' said CTV London Meteorologist Julie Atchison. The weekend weather remains warm at 22 on Saturday and 25 on Sunday. 'It looks like the bulk of the moisture through Saturday will drive south of the area, so good news all around as we head into the weekend,' said Atchison. Here's a look at the rest of the forecast Thursday night: Clearing early this evening. Low 11. Friday: Increasing cloudiness early in the morning. 30 per cent chance of showers late in the morning and early afternoon. Wind east 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High 22. UV index 4 or moderate. Saturday: Cloudy. High 22. Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. High 25. Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. High 27. Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud with 30 per cent chance of showers. High 28.
