Vancouver Island wildfire forces hundreds from homes
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Bulldozer, excavator on site of Kingston fire to build fire guard, says fire duty officer
Latest updates: Kingston fire is 2,175 hectares, "had some growth" on Thursday. Officials are building a fire guard on southern flank of fire. Holyrood fire is still 22 hectares, Martin Lake fire is 230 hectares. Heat warning in effect for northern Avalon Peninsula and northeastern region of Newfoundland. Special air quality statement still in effect for portion of the northern Avalon Peninsula. Evacuation orders still in place for Kingston, Perry's Cove, Western Bay and Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, sections of Holyrood and Conception Bay South. Evacuation orders still in place for cabin area off of Route 360, Bay d'Espoir Highway, extended to Rushy Pond. Evacuation orders expanded Thursday to Ochre Pit Cove and Salmon Cove. Town of Victoria is on an evacuation alert. Three wildfires continue to burn out of control on Newfoundland, and have forced hundreds of people across several communities on the Avalon Peninsula out of their homes. The wildfire in Conception Bay North continues to burn out of control and preventative measures are being brought in to contain its growth, says an official. Provincial fire duty officer Mark Lawlor said the Kingston fire is still out of control and it had "some growth" on Thursday toward the community of Ochre Pit Cove. As of its last mapping, it is 2,175 hectares in size. "We're building a fire guard on the southern end of that fire so we're going to continue with that. They have a bulldozer and an excavator there grubbing off the shrubs and trees on top," Lawlor told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show. He said the Kingston fire is an active fire, with lots of smoke and hot spots, adding it is still torching trees. "The fire is still moving," he said. Lawlor added the fire burning near Holyrood is still staying steady at about 22 hectares and while there was no growth recently, trees are still getting torched and there are plenty of hot spots. On a positive note, Lawlor said the firefighters should have hoses positioned all around the fire on Friday. Lawlor said on Thursday they had to divert a water bomber fighting the Kingston fire to one on the Burin Peninsula. He said that fire is now considered as held and people will be back on site Friday. "That one we're feeling pretty comfortable with," he said On Friday morning the St. John's Regional Fire Department said it was called to six bonfires overnight, despite a provincewide fire ban in effect. Premier John Hogan announced he was moving quickly to hike fines for breaking the ban, which could go as high as $50,000. Environment Canada has two weather alerts in effect for the province, with a special air quality statement remaining in effect for the north and northeastern Avalon Peninsula. A heat warning is also in effect for eastern and central Newfoundland regions, as well as parts of Labrador. Meteorologist Hailey Wigmore advised people people to drink water often, close their blinds and shades, as well as use a fan or stay in a cooler part of the home. She added the light winds are bringing Kingston fire smoke and haze over the St. John's region for Friday. "Looking ahead, there's not really any appreciable rain," she said, "So it's pretty much these dry conditions for at least the next little bit into the future," said Wigmore. Mark Ploughman, a councillor for Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, said there was a big change in the Kingston fire, forcing an evacuation order for Salmon Cove and Ochre Pit Cove. The evacuation centre has moved from Persalvic School Complex in Victoria to Carbonear Academy in Carbonear, which he saidis a larger and newer facility. "Things are running pretty smoothly there, from what I saw," said Ploughman. He said people are still facing uncertainty and are stressed because they don't know when the evacuation order will be lifted and they'll be able to go home.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Wildfire smoke prompts air quality warnings in Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Broadway Bridge is enveloped by forest fire smoke in Saskatoon, Sask., on Sunday, September 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu Much of Manitoba and Saskatchewan remain under air quality warnings. Environment Canada says wildfire smoke continues to contribute to the very poor air quality in the region and could lead to reduced visibility in the coming days. The agency says the northwestern Manitoba city of Flin Flon is expected to see an air quality index of over 10 throughout Friday and Saturday. Environment Canada also says Manitoba's two largest cities, Brandon and Winnipeg, are forecast to see 'high risk' conditions throughout Friday. Several Saskatchewan communities are similarly affected by air quality warnings, including the northwestern city of Buffalo Narrows, which is expected to see 'very high risk' conditions. Environment Canada is advising people to limit the time they spend outdoors and consider postponing outdoor sports and activities. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2025.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
High temperatures threaten to reignite blaze after France's largest wildfire in decades
VILLEROUGE LA CREMADE, France — Firefighters and local authorities remained on high alert Friday after France's largest wildfire in decades was contained in the south of the country, amid forecasts of very high temperatures which could reignite the blaze. Over three days, the fire spread across more than 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) in the Aude wine region and claimed one life, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes. In hot and dry weather, the blaze quickly spread with a perimeter reaching 90 kilometres and local authorities said they need to remain vigilant throughout the weekend as temperatures are expected to rise above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) during another heat wave. Region administrator Christian Pouget said some 1,000 people have not yet been able to return to their homes after the fire swept through 15 communes in the Corbières mountain region, destroying or damaging at least 36 homes. One person died at home, and at least 21 others were injured, including 16 firefighters, according to local authorities. Some 1,300 homes were still without electricity on Friday morning after infrastructure was extensively damaged, the Aude prefecture said. Residents have been warned not to return home without authorization, as many roads remain blocked and dangerous. Those forced to flee have been housed in emergency shelters across 17 municipalities. 'On Tuesday when the fire started, we learned that the inhabitants of the nearby village of Durban-Corbières were arriving in Tuchan,' Beatrice Bertrand, the mayor of Tuchan, told The Associated Press. 'We have received and hosted over 200 people. We gave them food, thanks to local businesses who opened their stores despite it being very late. 'Civil Protection brought us beds. And also the local villagers offered their homes to welcome them. It was their first night here and many were shocked and scared.' An investigation is underway to determine what sparked the fire. The fire was the largest recorded since France's national fire database was created in 2006. But France's minister for ecological transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, called the blaze the worst since 1949 and linked it to climate change. Southern Europe has seen multiple large fires this summer. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires. Last month, a wildfire that reached the southern port of Marseille, France's second-largest city, left around 300 people injured. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Hernan Munoz, The Associated Press
