Inside the Race to Save a Family Farm From Canada's Wildfires
Official evacuation alerts had sounded in Goodlow, an agricultural community near Alberta in northeastern British Columbia, setting off a chain reaction among families who had packed their bags ready to be ordered to leave as wildfires this month swallowed up swaths of land.
But not Mr. van Angeren. Instead, he and his neighbors filled up water tanks, unraveled hoses, cleared strips of land of combustible plants to create a firebreak and then stepped toward the flames.
They saved the van Angeren farm.
Canada's wildfire season, which generally stretches from April to October, is in full swing in the western part of the country, consuming nearly nine million acres so far across four provinces and forcing thousands of people to make difficult choices, sometimes at a moment's notice when flames approach.
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33 minutes ago
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B.C. gets help from atmospheric river to fight wildfires, temperatures cool down
An atmospheric river has been impacting the B.C. coast with significant rainfall, delivering much-needed relief to areas experiencing dry conditions and an elevated wildfire risk. It has been a highly beneficial rainfall since it is spread out over a more extended period of time. The recent dry conditions across the B.C. coastline have been a huge contributor for the wildfires in the area. However, we will also see some hazards pop up from the heavy rains. SEE ALSO: The significant rain will be some of the greatest totals this year, and helpful to the building drought conditions across the province. Atmospheric river brings relief and hazards this weekend The event has been classified as an atmospheric river. An atmospheric river is exactly what it sounds like – it's a long, narrow river of water vapour in the lower atmosphere. These rivers in the sky transport moisture from the subtropics to the mid-latitudes and are ranked in intensity on a scale of 1-5. An AR3 event is forecast for the Central Coast and expected to last through much of Saturday and Sunday. More rain to come after hefty totals recorded The atmospheric river brought impressive rainfall totals to B.C.'s South Coast on Friday. Vancouver International Airport picked up 43 mm of rain, making it the rainiest day of 2025 for it and the fifth-rainiest August day on record. Rain continues on Saturday, mainly for the Sunshine and Central coasts while the precipitation moderates and eases for the Lower Mainland. Light showers remain for Vancouver and the South Coast areas while it continues to be widespread for western Vancouver Island, north end of Sunshine Coast, and northward towards Prince Rupert. Coastal communities can expect heavy rain to persist through to late Sunday, and even possibly through early Monday. Mountainous regions could see see 75-100+ mm of rain over the weekend with this event. Populated regions of the South Coast, including the Lower Mainland, can expect 30-50 mm of rain through Sunday, with the bulk of the rainfall having already fallen. The Central Coast could see 75-100 mm through Sunday while 30-50 mm is on the table for western Vancouver Island. RELATED: Localized flooding will be a hazard to look out for if the ground is unable to soak up the rains fast enough. Roadways will also become slick and visibility may be reduced during particularly heavy periods of rain. This rainfall will, however, provide much-needed relief for ongoing wildfires and Level 3 drought conditions on Vancouver Island and parts of the B.C. coastline. Cooling temperatures and summer snow High-terrain snowfall is also quite possible as the cold front dips southward, pulling temperatures down with levels will drop below 3000 m on Saturday and to around 2500 m Sunday, with some high-elevation snow possible on mountain peaks near Tsʼilʔos Provincial Park. A shift to drier conditions with a warming trend is anticipated by the middle of or towards late next week. Temperatures are forecast to remain cooler than seasonal into the weekend, and early next week. However, a return to seasonal temperatures—and potentially warmer-than-seasonal conditions—is expected later in the week. Stay with The Weather Network for more information and updates on your weather across B.C. WATCH: Prairies drive the second worst fire season on record in Canada Click here to view the video
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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A 1,000-year flood, historically bad air quality, extreme heat: Summer 2025 is far from normal in Wisconsin
As of Aug. 12, Milwaukee will have endured 24 days of poor air quality from the Canadian wildfire smokes, 38 days of extreme heat and a mess of disasters from the past weekend's 1,000-year flood. Summer 2025 is anything but normal. And we're not yet near summer's end. Where summer in Wisconsin is often the time to enjoy camping trips long in the making, make a day of it at American Family Field, and get outside for walks, runs and healthy activities, this year's weather anomalies have dampened that summertime spirit. The temperature might have been perfect but the air quality index was unhealthy for all groups. The air quality index may have briefly been in normal range but heavy rains kept us indoors. Sure, perfect days happened where the air quality was healthy, the heat was tolerable and storms didn't drive us inside, but how long did it last? "We haven't had a lot of days with really nice, enjoyable weather, because either we had to worry about the air quality, or it's been really, really humid, or it's been decently hot," said Amanda Schwabe, a climate outreach specialist with the Wisconsin State Climatology Office in Madison. "There hasn't been a ton of really nice, enjoyable weather this summer. Schwabe helps track and analyze weather events throughout the year to better understand Wisconsin's changing climate. It's typical for the state to have a few days over 90 degrees, and a decent amount of severe weather, even tornadoes, peppered in the earlier or later summer months. On the surface, the average temperatures appear in the normal range compared to other Wisconsin summers, but it's the consistency of very warm, very wet days that Schwabe and other scientists at the state Climatology Office are paying close attention to. Green Bay had 10 extra days of above-average summer temperatures, Milwaukee's had eight, totaling 38 days of above-average heat. "We're just not getting those nice breaks of cool, refreshing weather as much as we might typically get in a summer," Schwabe said. It hasn't been this humid in Wisconsin since 1979, state climatology office says The ongoing records broken by extreme heat would be bad on their own, but we also haven't felt humidity this intense since 1979, she said. That wet heat, combined with a strong batch of winds in the lower part of the atmosphere from the south, was like "two fire hoses pointed directly at southeast Wisconsin," Schwabe said. Then, the number of days where wildfire smoke made the air unhealthy easily soared past every other record-holding year, even 2023 when the smoke painted the sky an unsettling orange hue — and we're not even in peak Canadian wildfire season, Schwabe said. The rest of August may be the third act nobody expected or asked for: more wildfire smoke that impacts our breathing, more heavy rains the southeast region can't handle, more days of extreme heat and humidity. Wisconsin's miserable summer weather is also affecting our mental health, experts say Few things are as destructive as a flood. Few things are more all-encompassing as unhealthy air. There's a sense this year that much of the miserable weather is inescapable and out of our control. Dr. Pamela Guthman has seen this dread play out with her patients. It may not present itself as a mental health issue for many people, at least, not at first, Guthman said. It's witnessing the familiar streets turned into rivers, the rise of invasive species draining the life from ash trees you grew up climbing, the ominous haze hanging over Milwaukee's iconic skyline for days, weeks. "Those feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious and depressed by extreme weather events, we call it solastalgia," said Guthman, a retired public and population health nurse who serves as a member of the Healthy Climate Wisconsin board. "People start to understand the significant existential threat we're in when it comes to climate and health. Sometimes just naming it for people will help them open up and talk about it." Solastalgia combines the words "solace" and "nostalgia," and describes the existential or emotional distress caused by environmental changes, especially if that change degrades our sense of home. It can bring about a feeling of homesickness even if you've never left home. Beyond the biological mechanisms of climate change on behavioral health, like heat's ability to increase suicide rates and aggressive crimes, a survey released last year from the American Psychiatric Association showed the combination of factors related to climate change — wildfires, extreme storms becoming more common, evacuations — has impacted just more than half of all Americans' mental health. Related: Are we ready for the health problems that come with extreme heat changes? In a word, no. Taking climate action, making indoor activities fun, relying on hope So, what can we do if taking a walk to clear our heads isn't a safe option? And what about little kids who want to zoom head-first onto the playground or play with toys destroyed in the weekend floods? For adults, Guthman suggests taking action if you're concerned about climate change. "Lifting up your voice," Guthman said, can help you identify what's happening in your backyard, your community, and beyond. "We know the fossil fuel industry has negatively denied the situation that has contributed to all the drivers of climate change," Guthman said. "As people understand that, there can be some mobilization. Action helps take that negative energy and move it into doing something that will make for more positive changes." From a clinician's perspective, Guthman emphasized the importance of taking care of both your physical and mental health. If the weather events have led to you feeling continuously down this summer, it might be time to consult with your primary care physician or mental health provider. As for children, they have powerful imaginations. If the air quality is too unhealthy or if recent flood events have made outdoor play too dangerous, Guthman suggests some indoor play. Set up some forts for a play day inside, get out some coloring books, brainstorm with your kid about other fun, safe, and not-too-messy indoor activities. "That helps shift their mindset to what it is that they can do," Guthman said. "It's all about hope and optimism, and that's so critically important when we're talking about mental health." Above all else, check in with your friends and neighbors, Guthman said, to see what you can do to help. Maybe your neighbor's basement was completely flooded but yours remained dry. Human beings are hardwired for social connection. "I think sometimes we forget that," Guthman said. "There's strength in connecting with one another that helps with hope and optimism. What are we in this world for, if not to help one another?" If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@ or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Summer 2025 in Wisconsin has been full of miserable, extreme weather
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After historic flood and devastating losses, Milwaukee begins a new path forward
Block after block across metropolitan Milwaukee, piles of soaked carpets, waterlogged appliances and furniture stained beyond recognition now slump in front yards and along sidewalks. These are spaces where summer should be lived, not filled with debris. The streets tell the story of families turned inside out by a 1,000-year flood, as cherished keepsakes, family photos, childhood drawings — in some cases, all the reminders of lives lived, now washed away. And in town centers, beloved restaurants, local shops, small businesses, cornerstones of the community where we gather and make memories are grappling with how to move forward. There's little doubt that climate change is here — whether it's wildfire smoke lingering in our air, warmer winters and disappearing ice on our Great Lakes or relentless summer heat waves. But those events seem to pass and life resumes. Not this time. This will take much longer. "It was a devasting event that just unfortunately caused a lot of heartache for people throughout the region," said Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. For years, scientists have warned about what can happen when climate change supercharges extreme weather events. This is exactly what they meant. As the planet warms, air can hold onto much more water, so when the weather conditions line up, like they did on Aug. 9 and 10, and into Aug. 11, storms can release more rain. A warmer climate also creates weather systems that move slower. More water from a storm that sticks around longer creates prolonged, heavy rainfall and flooding. The result is that it's become harder to use historical data because climate change is altering things so drastically; the past is no longer a good predictor of the future. Regardless, scientists say that climate change is increasing the likelihood that these intense deluges will happen within any given year. We were paying a price even before this month. A new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum outlined how Wisconsin has seen an increase in damage caused by flooding, in turn leading to dramatic spikes in flood insurance claims and payouts. There are also serious impacts to mental and physical health. Floods are Wisconsin's second-most frequent disaster declaration, the same report said, resulting in $123.7 million in damages since 1999. And that dollar figure was compiled before this summer. So far, Milwaukee County has a preliminary estimate that damages to roads, park systems, bridges and waterways from this month's event is roughly $23 million. That number is expected to grow. The story is told in personal losses Of course, all those numbers have people behind them. There is Kevin Knitter, who told the Journal Sentinel that he and his wife Katie did not purchase flood insurance when they bought their Wauwatosa home because it was not in the floodplain. The Knitters evacuated as water filled their basement and rose into the first floor. They ended up in a rescue boat with their daughter, two dogs and a goldfish. And they learned the floodplain maps had changed in 2024, and their home was now inside the boundaries. And there is Eric Wagner, founder and CEO of the Lowlands Group, which owns Café Hollander, who got his first call about the Wauwatosa location at 6:30 a.m., on Aug. 10. Water had started coming into the basement kitchen, and eventually rose to four feet. 'When there's pressure from the river, the water starts getting into the drywall. There was equipment floating everywhere and the electrical got all burned out,' Wagner told the Journal Sentinel. He's now looking at a six-week reconstruction and costs approaching $1 million. At Paul Davis Restoration, roughly three calls per minute — yes, minute — have been coming in from customers needing help with flood damaged property. 'This is pretty unprecedented,' said Ariel Flary, business development manager. 'Every call that comes in, we call back and touch base and see if they still need service.' Flary said crews from Appleton and Waukegan, Illinois, have traveled, and occasionally stayed in hotels, to try to keep up with the calls for service. 'Some people have lost entire homes and then have been told they're not covered (by insurance),' Flary said, adding the company is also cautious about working its employees too much, and checks to make sure they get breaks and stay hydrated. More: River revival: Milwaukee's long-neglected Kinnickinnic River is on the verge of a revival Rain totals surpassed 10 inches in parts of Milwaukee County Since 1950, Wisconsin has become on average 17% wetter — or roughly 5 inches more precipitation, according to the latest Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts report. The southern two-thirds of Wisconsin has experienced the biggest increase in rainfall. The Aug. 9 to 10 storm ranks second for a two-day rain event since the National Weather Service began recording that data in 1871. Calling it a 1,000-year flood event can be somewhat confusing because the label is based on probability, not time. It doesn't mean that it happens once every 1,000 years. Instead, it's a flood that has a 1-in-1,000 chance of occurring in any given year. According to rainfall totals from the sewerage district, the highest total rainfall amount in the city of Milwaukee — and county, too — during this storm was recorded at 8135 W. Florist Ave., which had nearly 15 inches from Aug. 9 to 11. River Hills had the highest total amount of rain out of Milwaukee County suburbs at nearly 11.5 inches. Within the overall storm, the most intense period was specifically during a 12-hour stretch from 7 p.m., Aug. 9, to 7 a.m., Aug. 10, according to Andy Boxell, meteorologist at the National Weather Service. In Waukesha County, a reporting station just south of Menomonee Falls registered 12.05 inches in that time frame. Pewaukee recorded 12.61 inches; Waukesha received 9.75 inches. In Washington County, Germantown logged 10.58 inches during that span. 211 damage reports continue to rise As people with flood damage continue to assess their situation, and some realize they can't go it alone, the number of calls to 211 keeps growing. The confidential helpline helps with a wide range of needs, like housing, food, transportation, and healthcare. It's the best connection to resources at this point, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Michael Totoraitis said. More than 11,500 requests for flood-related services have come in to 211 from across Milwaukee County and the surrounding Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties as of the afternoon of Aug. 14. Of that number, roughly 85% of the requests for service came from Milwaukee alone. The helpline saw a spike in calls on Tuesday and Wednesday, with over 3,100 reports each day. Preliminary 211 data showed the highest number of requests came out of Milwaukee County's northwest side, along with West Milwaukee, in particular from ZIP codes 53218, 53209, and 53216. Reports from 211 calls also included basement water depths, utility disruptions and structural damage. The 53218 ZIP code, which includes the north side's Silver Spring and Hampton Heights neighborhoods, stood out with 1,851 damage reports, the highest among all the ZIP codes listed. It also had the highest number of utility disruptions, with 1,448 reports, and 850 structural damage reports. It's average water depth report was 26 inches. The basement water reports across Milwaukee County averaged 19.2 inches. The deepest average basement water was reported in 53219, just west of Jackson Park on the city's south side, at 35 inches. More than 12,000 calls reported utility disruptions and almost 7,000 reported of structural damage. The data is self-reported, according Vickie Boneck, the spokesperson for IMPACT 211, the designated provider of 211 services in southeastern Wisconsin. The numbers continue to change as 211 continues to receive calls and messages. For example, Boneck noted that as water is receding in basements, the reports, too, show a decrease in the average inches reported. Of the data collected, 2-1-1 reported more roughly 5,000 referrals for storm-related needs, including connecting those who reached out to the county's office of emergency services, post disaster cleanup tools and supplies, disaster food stamps and food pantries. Milwaukee officials have repeatedly urged residents to report damage to 211. The reports help bolster the push for federal assistance to address widespread damage from the flooding. The reports also serve as another source of data the city is using to identify the hardest-hit areas. For example, the Milwaukee Health Department is using the data to determine where to send cleaning kits. He encouraged residents to submit damage reports either by calling or submitting a report online when call times are longer. And, he said, residents should urge others to report their damages as well. "That 211 data is really guiding what the city can do," Totoraitis said. "And then as we get – fingers crossed – that money unlocked from the feds, that we can then use that information to prioritize helping someone get a new water heater or whatever that support looks like." He also urged residents to use their insurance, take photos of damage and write down a timeline to help the claims process move forward. The 211 data provides one view into the extent of the damage. Other data collected by the city is also helping guide its response. That includes information from the Department of Public Works, which is marking areas that need bulky waste pickup. The Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services is also inspecting homes in the city and neighboring suburbs to assess the extent of the damage. As if the afternoon of Aug. 14, there had been 2,916 homes inspected. Of those, 5% were destroyed, 55% had major damage, 17% had minor damage and 12% were listed as "affected," the lowest level of concern, according to the department. In 11% of the homes, inspectors were unable to gain entry to the premises. Despite damage, Milwaukee on its way to climate resiliency While many parks and green spaces across the region were overwhelmed during the storm, they ultimately did what they were designed to do − absorb and hold water, minimizing damage to nearby homes and businesses. Shafer pointed to Wauwatosa's Hart Park, which was inundated but helped prevent even worse flooding downstream. 'This storm reinforced that the work we've done so far is worthwhile,' Shafer said. 'Without these investments, the damage would have been significantly worse.' Still, he emphasized that more must be done. "This was a wakeup call for us," Shafer said. "And I think it's going to lead us to much better discussions about the future." While the devastation is undeniable, Shafer said the region's much more prepared than it was 30 years ago. He called for a continued focus on green infrastructure and a watershed-wide approach – strategies that include removing impervious surfaces and improving park spaces to handle stormwater more effectively. These efforts not only protect people's homes and businesses but also build long-term resilience against increasingly intense storms. "We've taken huge steps over the last 25 years," Shafer said. "And we need to continue that for the next 25." Ricardo Torres, Bridget Fogarty, Cathy Kozlowicz, Rachel Bernhard and Sophia Tiedge contributed to reporting on this story. Caitlin Looby covers the Great Lakes and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reach her at clooby@ and follow her on X @caitlooby. Caitlin's work is supported by the Brico Fund, Fund for Lake Michigan, Barbara K. Frank, and individual contributions. Grants and donations help make this reporting possible. The Journal Sentinel maintains full editorial control. To learn more about our community-funded journalism initiatives, or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation with 'JS Environment' in the memo, then mailed to: Local Media Foundation, P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Milwaukee emerges from floods, climate change, heartbreaking loss
