Latest news with #FortSmith
CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
2 cabins burned in wildfire near Fort Smith
Two cabins near Fort Smith, N.W.T., have burned in a wildfire that originated in Alberta, according to a news release Sunday from N.W.T. Fire. One was lost despite crews setting up sprinklers to protect structures in the area. Crews weren't able to do structure protection work for the second cabin due to poor visibility. The two cabins were in different areas, though N.W.T. Fire didn't specify where they were. N.W.T. Fire said they have notified the owners. "It is always unfortunate when structures are lost," wildfire information officer Thomas Bentham said in the wildfire update Sunday. "These threats are a reality in wildland areas." Bentham wrote that structure protection work saved several other cabins over the weekend. The fire covers about 65 square kilometres and is about 28 kilometres east of Fort Smith in the Schaefer Lake area. There were two other fires burning in the South Slave as of Sunday afternoon's update — one about 24 kilometres from Fort Smith along the Slave River, and one by Cameron Hills, about 13 kilometres west of Hwy 1. Five fires were burning in the Dehcho —one about 30 kilometres southwest of Sambaa K'e, one 74 kilometres from Fort Liard and one fire about 27 kilometres southwest of Fort Simpson. Bentham said those fires don't pose a risk to the communities. Two other fires burn just north of the B.C. border.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fort Smith runaway found safe
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) located a reported runaway on May 31. Arizona man sentenced to 200 years for 2021 murder, stabbing of two Sebastian County deputies The child's name, age and other identifying information have been removed for privacy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
ASP: Possible Hardin sighting reported in Fort Smith
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas State Police is investigating a tip that places escaped inmate Grant Hardin in Fort Smith. '[I] can't confirm the credibility at this point, but did get confirmation they [ASP] are checking into it,' Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion said. Go to KNWA/FOX24's Hunt for Hardin page for the latest news about escaped Arkansas inmate Grant Hardin. Former Washington Co. Sheriff recalls time working as Grant Hardin's Lieutenant Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
5 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Fort Simpson 'warmer than Toronto' for days as heat wave hits southern N.W.T.
Much of the South Slave and Dehcho regions are experiencing high temperatures, as a cold winter gives way to a hot spring. Dave Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said Fort Simpson has been "warmer than Toronto" for the last two weeks. "It's certainly unseasonably warm," Phillips said. Phillips said the warm temperatures are coming from a low-pressure system from the south, which is being pushed into the N.W.T. In the South Slave, Fort Smith was expected to reach 31 C on Thursday. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, there have also been heat warning in Fort Chipewyan since Monday, setting a record of 32.2 C. Fort Smith resident Don Bourque says he plans to stay inside. "It'll be too hot for me to even go outside," Bourque said. "I got lots of work to do outside my house but it's too much heat. I can't compete with that." He also said the summer is expected to be "warmer than normal" across the territory, and the country. Adam McNab, Fort Smith's director of protective services, said extreme heat and dry conditions increase wildfire risk. "Any fire on the landscape has the potential to spread," McNab said. Right now, the town of Fort Smith has a full fire ban in place. "The wind is also making it very extreme fire weather, as far as heat, definitely try and find a cool place in your home," McNab said. "Make sure that your curtains are drawn. Stay cool and stay hydrated," he added. He also said despite all the areas that burned in the 2023 fire season, fire risk around Fort Smith remains high. He said residents need to exercise heightened awareness and caution. Fire danger was high to extreme across the Dehcho and South Slave regions on Thursday. Environment Canada expects cooler temperatures later this week.
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Aurora College research team wants to change the way the North looks at food security
In Fort Smith, N.W.T., an Aurora College research team hopes to shift the conversation around food security through community gardening, knowledge sharing and relationship building. Food security is a growing concern in the North, where costly store-bought food and the impacts of climate change, like wildfires and low water levels, highlight the fragility of local food systems. Sarah Rosolen manages the South Slave Research Centre at Aurora College and leads the Boreal Berry Patch Collective, which planted berry patches around the community last summer. "Berries are really important to people here," she said. "The concept started when we had a bad drought, and the berries in the bush were not plentiful, and people were really concerned about that." The group is working on the project with local Indigenous governments and organizations. From saskatoons to strawberries, each group chooses its preferred berry. Eventually, they will map the locations so residents and tourists can find specific berries. The team also draws on expertise from longtime growers who carry valuable knowledge about what thrives in the region. "People have been growing here for decades," Rosolen said. "There's a lot of history and knowledge about what can be grown here." 'It's really empowering' This year, the research team is testing which strawberry varieties grow best in Fort Smith. Rosolen said the project is about increasing food security and local harvests. Trent Stokes is training to become an agricultural technician. He said they want to share the data with the community so they can plant their own high-yielding strawberries. Stokes said this work matters now more than ever. "I believe that food security is a major thing that is overlooked in the North," he said. "We can diminish costs for fresh food … and it's a lot healthier for people." Along with free gardening workshops, the team manages the community garden and is building a network of shared wisdom through its Facebook group and hands-on learning. They've set up a plot for the food bank, which they maintain and encourage other growers to contribute produce or help with upkeep. The centre also has initiatives aimed at getting more youth involved in gardening. And they are exploring the idea of planting food in the town's fire breaks. "It's really empowering when people grow their own food … they're tasting a carrot out of the garden, and they produced that," she said. "We're building confidence and capacity around food." Another key member of the team is Jane Mariotti, a master's student at the University of Guelph. She's in the North looking at soil quality. Mariotti will collect samples from across the South Slave. They will use those samples to understand how wildfires and the surrounding landscape can affect soil quality. "We're going to look at the nutrients in it … that are important for growing crops," she said. "And see if we can associate any of those nutrients with particular tree species or vegetation communities. Mariotti says the work will help local growers better understand what crops might thrive in the South Slave. And what conditions to look for to find the best soil. "We're just trying to get some baseline fertility data for the area," she said. "Because there's not a lot of studies that have been done up here."
