St. Mary siphon repairs three months ahead of schedule, within $70-million budget
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CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
A fire is burning one of the world's tallest trees near the Oregon coast
In this photo provided by the Coos Bay District Bureau of Land Management, the top of the Doerner Fir tree's trunk smokes in Coos County, Ore., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (Coos Bay District Bureau of Land Management via AP) PORTLAND, Ore. — Authorities in Oregon are trying to extinguish a fire that is burning in one of the world's tallest trees near the state's southern coast. The Doerner Fir, a coastal Douglas Fir tree over 325 feet (99 metres) tall and estimated to be over 450 years old, has been burning since Saturday in Coos County in Oregon's Coast Range. An infrared drone flight on Tuesday showed no active flames or smoke at the top of the tree, but it detected heat within a cavity in the tree trunk some 280 feet high, federal Bureau of Land Management spokesperson Megan Harper said. Figuring out how to approach the tree from the side to douse the cavity with water has been a challenge, Harper said. Various options have been discussed, including building scaffolding or climbing adjacent trees for better positioning, or letting it smolder and monitoring to see if it reignites. Crews remained on-site Tuesday and a helicopter was on standby in case of needed water drops, she added. The Coos Forest Protective Association said Monday that helicopter bucket drops had reduced fire activity near the top of the tree. It added that sprinklers were placed at the base of the tree, where containment lines were also constructed to prevent further fire spread. The fire may impact the tree's standing in global height rankings, Harper said. 'We've lost about 50 feet of it, just from fire and pieces falling out,' she said, noting that the 50 feet (15 metres) were lost through the top burning. 'So I don't know where it'll stand after this, but it's still a magnificent tree.' Investigators with the Bureau of Land Management have ruled out lightning as a cause of the fire based on weather data, the federal agency said Tuesday evening. It is the only tree on fire in the immediate vicinity, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. For now, the tree is not at risk of fully burning down, according to Harper. 'Right now, that is not a danger,' she said. 'The tree is so big, it's got so much mass that it would take a while for it to burn all the way through the tree.' Meanwhile, those involved in the firefighting efforts want to do everything possible to save the historic tree, Harper said. 'I think people really love it,' she said of the tree. 'There's a lot of history there, and so we don't want to lose it.' Claire Rush, The Associated Presse
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
‘Water was just spewing everywhere': Violent watermain break in London neighbourhood puts residents in danger
The watermain broke in Oxford Park, shooting water into the air and sending debris flying. CTV London's Bryan Bicknell has more. The watermain broke in Oxford Park, shooting water into the air and sending debris flying. CTV London's Bryan Bicknell has more. Residents in London's Oxford Park neighbourhood west of downtown and the Thames River are thanking their lucky stars that no one was hurt in a weekend blast on their street. A watermain break erupted on Britannia Avenue overnight Saturday, sending a high-pressure gush of water sky-high, with rocks and other debris flying everywhere. Resident Scott Bollert had arrived home late from work when a short while later he heard what he said sounded like an explosion. 'About 1:30 in the morning, next thing I know it was a massive explosion and it just sounds like a whole bunch of rocks are hitting cars and houses and stuff. I didn't really even know what it was. It sounded almost like an ice-maker,' he said. Bollert took to social media that night to vent his frustration after calling 911 about the eruption on the residential street. 'So I'm told by 911 that I'm holding up their line by calling them to tell them that this line is doing this in the middle of our street,' he exclaimed. 081925 - Watermain breaks Scott Bollert and the water gushing in the background. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) Making matters worse, Bollert's car was parked next to the geyser with his work gear inside. He says he's been informed by his insurance company that the vehicle is now considered a write-off. 'My insurance company wants a thousand dollar deductible just to replace the stuff that's in there. And I don't understand. I mean it would be different if it was my fault,' he said. The Dawson family, across the street from Bollert, was also victim to the powerful outflow. 'The water was just spewing everywhere about a hundred feet up, just breaking apart concrete and the rest of the pavement,' said Loralee Dawson. Flying rocks took out a number of car windshields on the street, along with some property left outside. Al Dawson, Loralee's father, said his truck sustained $3,700 damage, based on a repair estimate. 'The guy I talked to in the city told me it was an act of God and they weren't responsible, and I had to sue my insurance company. I talked to my insurance company, and they don't value my truck as much as the cost of the repairs, so either I can fix it myself or they can give me a small amount of money and take my truck,' he lamented. Neighbours say the street was a danger zone, with the high-pressure water gushing way up above the light standard and 'basket-ball' sized rocks being strewn about the street. A number of people called 911. The London Fire Department and London Police attended within a couple of hours, and eventually, city works crews arrived to shut the water off. Ward Councillor David Ferriera said the city does have an emergency line for situations like this, but it does not operate after-hours. 'I'm not surprised that the response would be that 'we are here for emergency response, whether that's for police, fire or ambulance.' So that's just goes to the point that maybe we should look into an emergency after hours number that's 24-7,' he suggested. Ferriera said he's waiting to hear from city staff what caused the watermain break. 'I've already requested staff look into that part of the infrastructure to see if we have any plans in the works. But we're fortunate that it did happen at that time,' he said. 'So if it was during the day I can only imagine there would have been some damages and somebody hurt for sure,' added Bollert.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on North Carolina's Outer Banks, threatens dangerous rip currents
In this aerial image taken from video provided by WVEC-TV, homes along the Atlantic Coast in Dare County, N.C., are seen, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, ahead of expected impacts from Hurricane Erin. (WVEC-TV via AP) Holly Andrzejewski hadn't yet welcomed her and her family's first guests to the Atlantic Inn on Hatteras Island when she had to start rescheduling them, as Hurricane Erin neared North Carolina's Outer Banks on Tuesday and threatened to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds. Although the monster storm is expected to stay offshore, evacuations were ordered on such barrier islands along the Carolina coast as Hatteras as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). Andrzejewski and her husband purchased the bed-and-breakfast, known as the oldest inn on the island, less than a week ago. By Monday they had brought in all the outdoor furniture and made sure their daughter and her boyfriend, who are the innkeepers, had generators, extra water and flashlights as they stayed behind to keep an eye on the property. 'It's just one of those things where you know this is always a possibility and it could happen, and you just make the best out of it. Otherwise you wouldn't live at the beach,' said Andrzejewski, who will also remain on the island, at her home about a 15 minutes' drive away. Erin lashed part of the Caribbean with rain and wind Monday. Forecasters are confident it will curl north and away from the eastern U.S., but tropical storm and surge watches were issued for much of the Outer Banks. Officials at the Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina, reported to the National Weather Service rescuing at least 60 swimmers from rip currents Monday. By early Tuesday, Erin had lost some strength from previous days but was still a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was about 675 miles (1,090 kilometers) southwest of Bermuda and 770 miles (1,240 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving northwest at a slower 7 mph (11 kph). A tropical storm warning remained in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended, some ports were closed and residents were ordered to stay home. On North Carolina's Outer Banks, coastal flooding was expected to begin Tuesday and continue through Thursday. The evacuations on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke came at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that jut into the Atlantic Ocean and are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges. A year ago, Hurricane Ernesto stayed hundreds of miles offshore yet still produced high surf and swells that caused coastal damage. This time there are concerns that several days of heavy surf, high winds and waves could wash out parts of the main highway. Some routes could be impassible for days. This is the first evacuation for Ocracoke since Hurricane Dorian in 2019 caused the most damage in the island's recorded history. Tommy Hutcherson, who owns the community's only grocery store, said the island has mostly bounced back. He's optimistic this storm won't be as destructive. 'But you just never know. I felt the same way about Dorian and we really got smacked,' he said. Scientists have linked the rapid intensification of hurricanes in the Atlantic to climate change. Global warming is causing the atmosphere to hold more water vapor and is spiking ocean temperatures, and warmer waters give hurricanes fuel to unleash more rain and strengthen more quickly. Bermuda will experience the most severe threat Thursday evening, said Phil Rogers, director of the Bermuda Weather Service. By then, waters could swell up to 24 feet (7 meters). 'Surfers, swimmers and boaters must resist the temptation to go out. The waters will be very dangerous and lives will be placed at risk,' acting Minister of National Security Jache Adams said. ___ Associated Press journalists Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report. Ben Finley, John Seewer and Hallie Golden, The Associated Press
