Firefighters battle California's Gifford Fire
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Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Canada's 2025 wildfire season now second-worst on record, fuelled by Prairies blazes
TORONTO — Canada's 2025 wildfire season is now the second-worst on record. The latest figures posted by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre suggest the fires have torn through 72,000 square kilometres, an area roughly the size of New Brunswick. That surpasses the next worst season in 1989 and is about half the area burned during the record-setting 2023 season, according to a federal database of wildfire seasons dating back to 1972. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, has made Canada's fire season longer and more intense, scientists say. The last three fire seasons are all in the 10 worst on record. "We really need to do a lot more to manage our forest, to reduce the impact of climate change and better prepare the communities that are at risk," said Anabela Bonada, managing director of climate science at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. This season has displaced thousands of people and stifled communities across Canada with wildfire smoke. Manitoba and Saskatchewan account for more than half the area burned so far, but British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario are all also well above their 25-year averages. Meanwhile, the military and coast guard were called in to help fight fires in Newfoundland and Labrador this week. This season has put a strain on Canada's firefighting resources. The country has been at its highest preparedness level since late May, relying on international help to tackle the fires. There were 446 international firefighters in Canada as of Friday, said Alexandria Jones, a spokesperson for the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which co-ordinates Canada's firefighting response. This season has officials exploring partnerships with countries whose fire season doesn't so closely overlap with Canada's, unlike the United States, Jones said. More firefighters are coming from Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico this year than in years past. In all, about 1,400 international firefighters have helped fight Canadian fires so far this year. "It is very exhausting work, and it does have impacts on mental health and so we're very cognizant that our crews start to get tired," Jones said in an interview Friday. "That's another justification why we bring in more international resources." Bonada, the University of Waterloo expert, said this season has underlined the importance of better preparing for intensifying wildfires. Along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, she pointed to a slew of possible changes to help communities prepare for the future. At the local level, she suggested communities should be integrating fire breaks into their design, planning safe evacuation routes and completing annual emergency planning exercises, among other things. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2025. Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gifford Fire Becomes California 'Megafire,' Forcing Thousands To Evacuate
A massive Southern California wildfire has now reached "megafire" status after becoming the state's largest inferno of 2025. Fueled by near-triple-digit heat, bone-dry conditions and inaccessible terrain, the Gifford Fire has exploded in size since igniting along Highway 166 one week ago. It has burned more than 104,000 acres, larger than the city of Atlanta, and is only 15% contained, according to Cal Fire. The National Weather Service warned that wildfire risk could intensify through the weekend as conditions worsen. Inland temperatures are expected to soar above 100 degrees, especially in the Sacramento Valley. 'We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,' Santa Barbara County Fire Dept. Capt. Scott Safechuck told the Associated Press. 'So we expect extreme fire behavior.' (MORE: Largest Wildfire In Decades Burns French Homes) More than 870 remote homes and other structures near the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest remain under threat as flames race through rugged canyons, ranches, and forestland. On Thursday, evacuation orders were expanded westward, bringing the total evacuation zone to 800 square miles across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The Gifford Fire has already overtaken July's Madre Fire, which was previously the state's largest of the year. The blaze began as at least four smaller fires along State Route 166 before merging into one inferno that has forced road closures and choked parts of southwest California with thick smoke. More than 2,200 personnel are battling the fire, which remains difficult to access due to steep terrain and remote locations. Winds are expected to stay relatively calm, offering some hope for containment, but fire officials say conditions remain extremely volatile. (MORE: Cloudburst Blamed For Village's Destruction) Residents near the evacuation zones are urged to stay alert, monitor official updates, and be prepared to leave quickly if conditions change. Additional evacuation orders are possible if the fire continues to move. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Northridge grass fire burns next to homes, damages 2 sheds
Los Angeles Fire Department crews are battling a Northridge grass fire next to homes, and it has burned down two sheds so far. Aerial footage shows heavy smoke at 9211 Encino Avenue, with firefighters on the roof of a shed, and water hoses on completely burned structures. The cause of the fire is not known yet.
