WATCH LIVE: Saskatchewan to provide wildfire update
Sask. Public Safety Agency officials provide an update on the province's wildfire response. Watch LIVE here.
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CTV News
23 minutes ago
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Some Sask. residents returning home after wildfire
Watch WATCH: While some Saskatchewan communities are still planning full evacuations, others are heading home to assess the damage.
CTV News
36 minutes ago
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‘We can't escape it': Wildfire smoke blanketing Calgary
The familiar sight of wildfire smoke blanketing Calgary has returned for another year, raising concerns about air quality and public health. While current smoke levels are deemed moderate for the general public, those who are at risk or have medical conditions should reduce activity. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the agency advises that individuals without pre-existing health conditions, such as shortness of breath or heart and lung issues, can continue outdoor activities. However, those with such conditions are encouraged to consider rescheduling or reducing the intensity and duration of strenuous outdoor activities. The white haze across Calgary has become a persistent reminder of the ongoing wildfire season for Raf Nazareno and his dog. 'I guess we can't escape it now. And it's coming. And let's hope it's not too bad,' he said. 'I feel like July and August is probably going to be really bad this year.' Nazareno, who prefers cooler weather, says he has seen a noticeable increase in haze over the past few days. 'The last couple (of) days, you look to the horizon like the sky is kind of whitish. And then you see that fog. But you know, it's not really fog. It's the smoke that's coming. It's not too bad yet, but it is increasing the last couple of days,' he said. As of Monday, Alberta was battling 66 active wildfires, with significant blazes in the Grand Prairie region, north of Slave Lake and west of Fort McMurray. Beyond provincial boundaries, smoke is also blowing in from northern British Columbia, while fires rage in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Jed Kaplan, a University of Calgary earth, energy and environment professor, confirmed the intensity of the current fire season. 'I'd say the fire season is definitely off to a big start,' he said. He says a warming climate is creating tinder-dry conditions in boreal areas, making them ripe for ignition. Kaplan researches ways to develop better forest management policies to mitigate the impact of destructive blazes. 'A controlled fire can be a way of avoiding some of these really catastrophic and really powerful fires that also send lots of smoke high up in the atmosphere that affects people hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away,' he said. Despite the current moderate air quality, cooler temperatures anticipated this week could offer some relief by helping suppress the smoke. Christy Climenhaga, of Environment and Climate Change Canada, says there is rain in the forecast for the Calgary region. 'We are seeing some pretty decent northwest flow in the province today, which will bring that smoke into southern Alberta,' said Climenhaga. 'We are not expecting air quality advisories or statements at this point to come into southern Alberta.'
CTV News
37 minutes ago
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Month-old peat fire still smouldering in west Edmonton
A peat fire is seen smouldering off of Anthony Henday Drive in west Edmonton. (CTV News Edmonton/Amanda Anderson) If you're cruising down Anthony Henday Drive near 111 Avenue, you might notice some extra haze as a peat fire continues to smoulder. The fire is over a month old, and caused several businesses to evacuate on May 6. Northbound Anthony Henday Drive was also shut down between Stony Plain Road and the Yellowhead Highway. Greg Verkaik, a PhD candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton Ont., specializes in wildfire research within boreal peatlands. He says peat fires are different from other fires because they burn underground and can smoulder for weeks, months, or even years. 'Once peat ignites and starts to burn, it's really difficult to extinguish,' said Verkaik. 'Peat is a high organic content soil, so it likes to burn once it starts.' In order to extinguish a peat fire, crews have to use large amounts of water or they have to manually dig up the fire, bring it to the surface and then extinguish it, taking a lot of manpower and equipment to do so. 'We've seen evidence of fires burning through the winter with snow cover on the ground, and there's still smoke coming out of the ground,' said Verkaik. 'It speaks to how persistent these fires are.' Peat fire A peat fire is seen smouldering off of Anthony Henday Drive in west Edmonton on June 9, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton/Amanda Anderson) Peat is typically very wet and is commonly found in the boreal forest. Verkaik said Canada has more peatlands by area than any other country in the world. Parts of Alberta can have up to 30 per cent of its area covered in peatlands. While peat is wet, things like drought and industry can dry it out, making it more combustible. Because there are high-density levels of carbon in peat, and they often serve as a sink to heavy metals, and smoke from peat fires can be 'detrimental' to people's health, said Verkaik. 'Smouldering fires also burn at much lower temperatures. There's not a complete combustion, so they release a lot of smoke,' he said. Carry over fires, or zombie fires, are common in peatlands because they are difficult to locate and determine if they're out. Infrared cameras are often used to look for hotspots. Peat fire A peat fire has been smouldering off of Anthony Henday Drive in west Edmonton for over a month. (CTV News Edmonton/Amanda Anderson) Verkaik's focus in his research is on fuel management and restoration strategies in peatlands. According to him, a pristine peatland can be restored within 10 to 20 years. But if the peatland has been drained, say, for potting soil, it's unlikely to ever return to its former pristine state. Derrick Forsythe, wildfire information officer with Alberta Wildfire, said they use machines to dig trenches in the burning peat, and then flood the trenches with 'massive' amounts of water. 'It's not sophisticated, it's not high-tech,' said Forsythe. 'It's just a lot of heavy equipment, moving a lot of earth.' Peat fire Crews work on a smouldering peat fire off of Anthony Henday Drive in west Edmonton on June 9, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton/Amanda Anderson) City of Edmonton firefighting crews were initially working on the smouldering blaze off the Henday. Alberta Infrastructure owns the land and hired a contractor to monitor the fire after it died down. 'As this is a peat fire, there continues to be some flare-ups, with some as recent as last week,' said Benji Smith, press secretary to Alberta Infrastructure. 'A contractor is actively monitoring the situation, continuing to turn and flood the soil to suppress the fire.' With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson
