Fires, storms and blazing temperatures forecast for western U.S.
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The Gifford Fire, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, had burned 113,648 acres and was 21% contained through Saturday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly known as Cal Fire. So far, 809 people have been evacuated and the Los Padres National Forest was closed because of the flames. There are 3,935 fire crews and support staff on the scene, and at least seven have been injured, according to a joint statement by Cal Fire, the US Forest Service and several local agencies.
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The Gifford blaze is the largest of 14 fires across the state, according to Cal Fire.
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Large wildfires in Colorado have also caused air quality to drop there, the US National Weather Service said. Alerts are out across western portions of the state, including Vail, the agency said.
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Meanwhile, smoke from forest fires in Canada has once again crossed into the US causing air quality alerts to be posted in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. There's also a dense smoke advisory in place across northeast parts of Montana. Across the border, air quality warnings are also in place for parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Environment and Climate Change Canada said.
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Across Canada, 714 active fires are burning with 166 raging out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. So far this year, 4,277 blazes have charred 7.3 million acres. In the US, there have been 42,854 fires reported on 3.5 million acres, the US National Interagency Fire Center said. While the number of US fires exceeds last year's 32,727 by this date, the acreage burned is less than the more than 5 million acres consumed a year ago.
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US heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are posted across parts of the west, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Phoenix is forecast to reach 108F (42C) Sunday, a dip from the record temperatures that gripped the fifth most-populous US city last week.
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Phoenix set a new August high temperature of 118F on Thursday.
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In New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast, temperatures are set to rise. As many as 12 records may be tied or broken across the region in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Center said.
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Flood watches have been posted across the Midwest, including Milwaukee, the weather service said. The Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park has risen more than 8 feet in the last day cresting at a new record of 11.19 feet, the weather service said.
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The US National Hurricane Center is watching two potential storms both in the central Atlantic far from land.
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Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Colorado prison evacuated as growing wildfire becomes one of the largest in state history
MEEKER, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado prison was evacuated as one of the largest wildfires in state history continued to grow, and officials warned residents of remote areas to be ready to leave Sunday as gusty winds and low humidity fed the flames. Evacuation orders were already in place for mountain communities as the Lee Fire charred more than 167 square miles (433 square kilometers) across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with just 6% containment. No injuries or structural damage has been reported. All 179 incarcerated people were safely removed from the Rifle Correctional Center on Saturday 'out of an abundance of caution,' the Colorado Department of Corrections said in a statement. They were temporarily relocated about 150 miles (240 kilometers) away to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, the department said. The Lee Fire, churning through trees and brush about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Denver, is now the sixth-largest single fire in the state's history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. More than a thousand firefighters are battling the blaze, working to keep the flames to the west of Colorado 13 and north of County Road 5, officials said. Health officials issued air quality warnings related to smoke from the Lee Fire and the 23-square-mile (60-square-kilometer) Elk Fire burning just to the east. In Southern California, crews reached 62% containment on the 8-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) Canyon Fire that forced evacuations and destroyed seven structures after breaking out Thursday near the Los Angeles County and Ventura County line. Three firefighters have been injured, including a battalion chief who was seriously hurt when his pickup truck rolled over in steep terrain. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched at least 180 square miles (466 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 21% contained on Sunday.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
Fires, storms and blazing temperatures forecast for western U.S.
(Bloomberg) — Fires, storms and the potential for near-record high temperatures across the western US are in the offing for the coming week. Article content The Gifford Fire, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, had burned 113,648 acres and was 21% contained through Saturday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly known as Cal Fire. So far, 809 people have been evacuated and the Los Padres National Forest was closed because of the flames. There are 3,935 fire crews and support staff on the scene, and at least seven have been injured, according to a joint statement by Cal Fire, the US Forest Service and several local agencies. Article content Article content Article content The Gifford blaze is the largest of 14 fires across the state, according to Cal Fire. Article content Article content Large wildfires in Colorado have also caused air quality to drop there, the US National Weather Service said. Alerts are out across western portions of the state, including Vail, the agency said. Article content Meanwhile, smoke from forest fires in Canada has once again crossed into the US causing air quality alerts to be posted in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. There's also a dense smoke advisory in place across northeast parts of Montana. Across the border, air quality warnings are also in place for parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Environment and Climate Change Canada said. Article content Across Canada, 714 active fires are burning with 166 raging out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. So far this year, 4,277 blazes have charred 7.3 million acres. In the US, there have been 42,854 fires reported on 3.5 million acres, the US National Interagency Fire Center said. While the number of US fires exceeds last year's 32,727 by this date, the acreage burned is less than the more than 5 million acres consumed a year ago. Article content Article content US heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are posted across parts of the west, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Phoenix is forecast to reach 108F (42C) Sunday, a dip from the record temperatures that gripped the fifth most-populous US city last week. Article content Phoenix set a new August high temperature of 118F on Thursday. Article content In New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast, temperatures are set to rise. As many as 12 records may be tied or broken across the region in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Center said. Article content Flood watches have been posted across the Midwest, including Milwaukee, the weather service said. The Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park has risen more than 8 feet in the last day cresting at a new record of 11.19 feet, the weather service said. Article content The US National Hurricane Center is watching two potential storms both in the central Atlantic far from land.
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
How Canadian wildfire smoke is jeopardizing health across North America
Published Aug 09, 2025 • 6 minute read A warning sign near Squamish, British Columbia, in June. Photographer: James MacDonald/Bloomberg Photo by James MacDonald / Bloomberg (Bloomberg) — The hazy air hovering over US metropolises, including Chicago and New York, this summer is reminding Americans of just how connected they are with their northern neighbour, regardless of how much relations have deteriorated under President Donald Trump. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Canadian provinces have evacuated towns and struggled to contain the second-worst wildfire season in 30 years, while residents of some US cities have endured unhealthy air as smoke from the blazes wafts across the border. The scenes of smoke-choked cities are reminiscent of 2023, when skies turned orange over New York City amid what was Canada's worst wildfire season on record. They also come as the US West's wildfire season worsens, with blazes burning in California, Arizona and Nevada, and France deals with the fallout from its worst fires in seven decades, including smoke-damaged grapes across wine-growing regions. The cross-border smoke drifting from Canada to the US, though, poses a particularly unique geopolitical issue. With climate change increasing the odds of extreme fire weather, it could mean more seasons of flames and smoke ahead. But there are ways to reduce forests' flammability. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As of Friday, 718 active fires are burning across Canada, nearly 500 of which are out of control. Wildfire activity kicked off in Canada's prairie provinces in May with Saskatchewan and Manitoba declaring emergencies. Major fires also broke out in the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, with one blaze in the oil sands region temporarily curtailing about 350,000 barrels a day of oil production. Since then, fires have spread across the country, burning as far east as Newfoundland. In 2023, fires in provinces including Quebec were the source of much of the smoke that blanketed the eastern US. Now, fires in the Canadian prairies are the source of much of the smoke drifting into the US Midwest. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadian fires burned a total of 7.2 million hectares (17.8 million acres) of forest as of Friday, the second-largest extent in records extending back to 1972, according to Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center and Natural Resources Canada data. The 2023 season set the record with 14.6 million hectares burned and included fires so intense that they smoldered underground for the winter. An aerial view shows smoke from Canadian wildfires dimming the city's skyline on June 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. The city has been under an air quality alert for the past two days, with vulnerable residents encouraged to limit their time outdoors. Photo by Scott Olson / Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty How does wildfire smoke affect air quality and health? Air pollution of all forms can be detrimental to health, but the tiny particles in smoke are particularly pernicious. Wildfire smoke is 10 times as toxic as regular air pollution, according to researchers at Stanford University. Soot and other small particles can lodge in crevices of organs, including lungs and arteries, and cause inflammation, according to Vin Gupta, a practicing pulmonologist and medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association. Chronic smoke exposure can contribute to asthma, cancer, dementia and even cause death. Those with preexisting health conditions, the elderly and very young are particularly at risk. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A study published in June looking at US Medicare recipients found wildfire smoke exposure led to more than 20,000 additional heart failure cases a year. Pregnant women exposed to wildfire smoke showed a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight in newborns, according to a 2023 study focused on Australia. How do we measure air quality? Air quality is typically measured using an index that standardizes the concentration of pollution in a given location. Stations around the world continuously take samples and provide real-time updates. We know, for example, that the air quality index, or AQI, hit 161 in Duluth, Minnesota, on Wednesday as smoke pushed into the region. While an AQI below 50 is considered good air, anything above 151 is considered unhealthy and will likely have some impacts on the general public. Anything that climbs above 300 is likely to affect nearly everyone breathing the air, while readings between 101 and 150 are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children and older adults. In areas where the most intense fires are burning, the AQI climbed as high as 500 on Thursday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. State and provincial governments track air quality, as do national governments in both countries. The data used to create AQI readings comes from air monitors found in a variety of locations, ranging from schools and businesses to TV stations. Some are used to track air quality near roads or sites prone to pollution, such as petrochemical facilities. How have the fires affected international relations? Wildfire smoke is worsening relations that were already at their lowest point in decades after Trump imposed tariffs on Canada early in his term and repeatedly referred to the country as the 51st state. A chorus of Republican lawmakers from the Midwest has complained about the smoke. That includes six members of Congress who wrote a letter to Canada's ambassador to the US last month claiming a lack of active forest management was driving the 'suffocating' wildfire smoke their constituents were dealing with. State-level lawmakers have also voiced concerns. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In response, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew accused the US lawmakers of 'trivializing' the explosive blazes, while praising US firefighters who are assisting Canadian efforts to control the blazes. Are Canada's forest management practices to blame? Canada is exceedingly efficient in fire monitoring and control compared to the US, said Mark Ashton, a dean of Yale University's Forest School. But Canada's massive swaths of forested land, a sparse population and limited infrastructure mean the country is constrained in its ability to respond to all blazes. 'In the most remote, difficult to access regions, you have no choice but to monitor and let burn,' Ashton said, adding that such an approach is pretty much the same strategy used in remote areas of Alaska. Indeed, of the roughly 500 uncontrolled blazes in Canada, 305 were being monitored. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Still, the country lacks a consistent approach to assessing risk, one that guides wildfire responses, and funding for wildfire prevention, mitigation and preparedness hasn't kept up with an increasing need, researchers wrote a 2020 study. Is there anything more that can be done to prevent or limit fires? Canada has been making some changes to its approach to wildfires, including integrating Indigenous cultural burning practices and, in British Columbia, planting more broadleaf trees that don't burn as easily rather than conifers in areas where timber has been harvested near urban locations, said Stefana Dranga, a wildfire research officer at Natural Resources Canada. Canada is also borrowing techniques from the US, including the use of pre-defined strategic fire management zones, a tool for identifying land features that can stop or slow wildfires for suppression, she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cutting greenhouse gas pollution would also help lower the risk of explosive fires in the long term. The boreal forest stretching across northern Canada and other Arctic countries is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures. 'The fires in the region have been amplified by changing climate that has increased the degree and length of these hot and dry periods,' Ashton said. While cutting greenhouse gas emissions to zero wouldn't immediately decrease fire risk, it would pay dividends in the decades to come. What will climate change mean for Canadian wildfires? The smoky summers are only poised to worsen in the years ahead as the globe gets hotter, according to Liam Buchart, fire weather specialist at Natural Resources Canada. 'As that warmth continues to build up in our climates, it's just making the fire season a bit more volatile.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Boreal forests sequester billions of tons of carbon. Yet as temperatures and fire risk both rise, that creates the risk that the forests go from being a carbon sink to a source of planet-warming emissions. In 2023, Canadian wildfires spewed out more carbon dioxide than the entire country of Mexico does in a year. That will have grave impacts on public health as well. 'We're girding for a reality where people will be sicker because more parts of the year will be warmer and exposure to the wildfire smoke will happen in unnatural times of the year,' Gupta said. 'It's not good for the body.'All expectations are that this is going to get a lot worse before there's any hope of it getting better.' Toronto Blue Jays Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Editorials Toronto & GTA
