Planning for wildfires: A closer look at fire patterns in Canada amid calls for more prevention
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3 hours ago
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Tornado warning issued for Stuart-Nechako region in north-central B.C.
A tornado warning was issued for the Stuart-Nechako region in north-central B.C. on Sunday afternoon. The warning, issued at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday, says forecasters are tracking a severe thunderstorm that could possibly produce a tornado. Environment and Climate Change Canada says that a thunderstorm around 15 kilometres southeast of Vanderhoof, B.C., was moving northeast at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour on Sunday afternoon. "This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation," the warning reads. "Take cover immediately, if threatening weather approaches." According to Environment Canada, in the event of a tornado people should go indoors immediately, to a room on the lowest floor away from walls and windows. It says people should leave vehicles, tents or other free-standing shelter and move to a strong building if possible. Along with the tornado warning, there are also severe thunderstorm warnings in place Saturday afternoon for other regions of northern and northeastern B.C., including Prince George and Fort Nelson. In its bulletin, Environment Canada warned that conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain. "When thunder roars, go indoors! Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year," forecasters wrote.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Brunswickers look to Mother Nature as province gets thirstier
Residents around New Brunswick are looking to the sky for help as the province gets drier and drier. Memramcook resident Alain Clavette joked about dancing naked in his yard with a tambourine to summon the rain as a system of rain clouds missed his area last week. His well has gone dry and he has to drive 30 minutes with a trunk full of containers just to get water for his chickens. "I walk around and [the ground] crunches under my feet," he said. He said his neighbour, who is a farmer, is experiencing the same thing. Clavette has seen him truck totes full of water. Clavette recalled the last time it was extremely dry in his area over 20 years ago. "It was the same thing," he said. "We have [cloud] systems going by and just missing us." He said he is considering installing underground tanks to harvest rainwater. He feels less confident about the future in the face of climate change. "I don't want to sound doom and gloom, but I think this is just a practice, a dry run for what's coming." Fundy Albert Mayor Jim Campbell said his municipality is also concerned about the dry conditions. The tourist season increases the area's population and the need for water grows. Last week, Fundy Albert along with other municipalities across the province like Memramcook, Eastern Charlotte and Tracadie, asked residents to limit water consumption. The Village of Memramcook is even offering free showers twice a week until the end of August at their arena. "We have to be extremely cautious," said Campbell. "The ground is really, really dry." He said people should avoid washing their cars and watering their gardens or flowers. Dishwashers and laundry machines should be fully loaded before turning them on, he advised. "It's pretty hard to enforce," he said. "We have to ask for some common sense and goodwill among men and women." He said water consumption is down a bit "so that shows that people are trying." Campbell said his area needs almost a week of steady rain to replenish the water supply. There are showers and thundershowers in the forecast for parts of New Brunswick overnight, but little precipitation for the rest of the week.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
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Wildfire that forced hundreds to flee on Vancouver Island now under control
A wildfire burning northwest of Nanaimo that had forced hundreds to flee is now under control, while crews are making progress on another blaze southwest of that city. The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) announced Saturday evening that crews made significant progress in fighting the Wesley Ridge wildfire burning on the north banks of Cameron Lake, about 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo in southeast Vancouver Island. Firefighters are still in the area patrolling and extinguishing hot spots, according to the BCWS. In total, the fire burned nearly six square kilometres of land and was previously listed as being held. At its peak, nearly 400 properties were under evacuation order due to the fire, and hundreds more were on evacuation alert, which meant residents had to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Mount Underwood fire still burning As of 7:20 a.m. PT on Sunday, there are 75 wildfires currently burning in British Columbia, four of which are out of control. One of those is the Mount Underwood fire burning just south of Port Alberni, B.C., which is further south of the Wesley Ridge blaze. The Mount Underwood fire grew aggressively after it was first detected last Monday, and currently covers an area of 36 square kilometres, burning around eight kilometres south of Port Alberni. That community has been on edge since the fire first started, but officials said Saturday that the fire received more than 30 millimetres of rain on Friday, and fire activity had been reduced as a result. Evacuation orders and alerts are still in place related to the fire, including the order for the China Creek campground and the alert for parts of the Cameron Heights neighbourhood on the southern edge of the City of Port Alberni. The fire has cut off access to the remote community of Bamfield south of Port Alberni, as well as knocked out power to 500 B.C. Hydro customers in the area. On Saturday, the utility said it began work to restore power, but said full repairs could take up to two weeks. The provincial power provider said the work will include replacing 56 power poles and 70 spans of power line – roughly 20 kilometres in total.
