Latest news with #PeaceRiverRegionalDistrict
CTV News
18-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Evacuation orders lifted for Kiskatinaw wildfire in northeast B.C.
The Kiskatinaw River wildfire burns south of Dawson Creek, B.C., in this May 29, 2025 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, B.C. Wildfire Service *MANDATORY CREDIT* The Peace River Regional District has cancelled four evacuation orders and one alert for properties near a wildfire that is burning out of control in northeastern British Columbia. The Kiskatinaw River blaze is currently listed as more than 266 square kilometres in size and classified as one of the three so-called wildfires of note in the province. The district says the region does not need to remain on evacuation order and residents are cleared to go home, but it has issued an evacuation alert for some properties threatened by the fire and it encourages people to remain prepared to leave if conditions change. It says an official BC Wildfire area restriction, which limits public access for safety during ongoing fire suppression work, remains in place. The blaze is one of nearly 90 wildfires actively burning across the province, most of which are in the northeast corner. The service says in its latest regional situational report that cooler temperatures and patchy showers are expected in the north while the south is still warm and dry. It says thundershowers in the eastern and northern regions may bring some short term relief but warns such storms can produce lightning that sets off more fires. The service says 75 per cent of the fires actively burning in B.C. are believed to be lightning caused. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
B.C.'s biggest wildfire classified as ‘being held' thanks to recent rain
The Martin Lake fire burning northwest of Tatla Lake, B.C. is seen in this handout image on Monday, June 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO — BC Wildfire Service **MANDATORY CREDIT** Drenching rain has helped fire crews in British Columbia's northeast get a grip on the largest wildfire burning in the province. The BC Wildfire Service says the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire northwest of Fort. St. John is now classified as 'being held' and is not expected to grow outside its current perimeter. The service says about 100 millimetres of rain in recent days has hampered the fire's growth, and more wet weather is in the forecast this week. The wildfire merged with another fire earlier this month, becoming the largest in the province at more than 1,500 square kilometres. The remaining evacuation alerts related to the wildfire were rescinded Monday, but the Peace River Regional District said new orders or alerts may be issued if the situation changes. To the south, the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation alert for properties near a wildfire that is burning out of control in the central Interior. The Martin Lake fire was discovered Sunday and is burning about 220 kilometres west of Williams Lake. The district says the purpose of the alert is to allow people to prepare to evacuate should it be necessary as conditions could change quickly. The wildfire service says the blaze has grown to about 290 hectares in size, and crews and aviation resources are on site trying to limit its spread. It is one of about 100 wildfires burning in B.C., many of which are situated in the province's northeast. The service says most of those fires — including the Martin Lake blaze and the Pocket Creek wildfire — are believed to have been set off by lightning, while 21 per cent are suspected to be caused by humans. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
CBC
16-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Kiskatinaw River fire stable after weekend rainfall, evacuation orders still in place
Social Sharing The B.C. Wildfire Service says the Kiskatinaw River fire in the province's northeast has stabilized thanks to rain over the weekend. B.C. Wildfire Service fire behaviour analyst Neal McLoughlin said in a video post on Sunday that a low-pressure system had moved into the region, bringing cloudy skies and soaking rain, with 10 millimetres of rainfall on Saturday and another 12 millimetres on Sunday. McLoughlin said the change in weather has helped reduce fire activity for the Kiskatinaw River Wildfire, located nearly 60 kilometres southeast of Dawson Creek, B.C. The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire is now measured at more than 266 square kilometres and is considered an out-of-control wildfire of note. McLoughlin warns that northeastern B.C. has experienced years of drought, and while the rain improves firefighting conditions, the landscape is still receptive to fire. Multiple evacuation orders and alerts issued by the Peace River Regional District due to the Kiskatinaw River wildfire remain in effect. There are three significant wildfires in B.C.'s northeast, including the Kiskatinaw River fire, Summit Lake and the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire, which is more than 1,500 square kilometres big. Officials say it has grown significantly since merging with another fire on June 8. The Dryden Creek wildfire near Squamish, B.C., was declared as being held on Saturday as officials reported the rain helped improve fire conditions. The District of Squamish said it has held steady at 0.6 square kilometres in size since Friday.
CTV News
15-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Kiskatinaw River fire situation stabilizes after weekend rainfall
The Kiskatinaw River wildfire burns south of Dawson Creek, B.C., in this May 29, 2025, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, B.C. Wildfire Service *MANDATORY CREDIT* The BC Wildfire Service says the Kiskatinaw River fire in the province's northeast has stabilized thanks to rain over the weekend. BC Wildfire Service fire behaviour analyst Neal McLoughlin says in a video post on Sunday that a low-pressure system had moved into the region, bringing cloudy skies and soaking rain, with 10 millimetres of rainfall on Saturday and another 12 millimetres on Sunday. McLoughlin says the change in weather has helped reduce fire activity for the Kiskatinaw River Wildfire, located nearly 60 kilometres southeast of Dawson Creek, B.C. The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is now measured at more than 266 square kilometres in size and is considered an out-of-control wildfire of note. McLoughlin warns that northeastern B.C. has experienced years of drought, and while the rain improves firefighting conditions, the landscape is still receptive to fire. Multiple evacuation orders and alerts issued by the Peace River Regional District due to the Kiskatinaw River wildfire are still remain in effect. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In the news today: Carney making defence announcement in Toronto
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... Carney making defence announcement in Toronto Prime Minister Mark Carney's office says he will be in Toronto today to make an announcement related to "defence and security priorities." The announcement is slated for 10 a.m., after which he is set to tour a local military facility before holding a news conference at 1 p.m. Defence ministers from NATO countries met in Brussels last week to discuss raising the member spending target on defence to as much as five per cent of GDP. Canada has never met NATO's existing spending target of two per cent since it was established in 2006, and the topic will loom large when NATO leaders meet later this month in the Netherlands. Carney promised during the recent election campaign to move up Canada's deadline for meeting the two per cent threshold from 2032 to 2030 or sooner, but hasn't yet revealed a plan for meeting that figure. Here's what else we're watching... B.C. wildfires merge, spurring evacuation order The BC Wildfire Service says the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire in the province's northeast has merged with another blaze, increasing its size "substantially." It says the fire is now more than 610 square kilometres in size and is considered an out-of-control wildfire of note. The Peace River Regional District says the fire poses an "immediate danger to life safety" and issued an evacuation order Sunday for the area approximately nine kilometres west of the Buckinghorse River, and around the Redfern Trail down toward Redfern Lake. The regional district issued earlier evacuation orders due to the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, another wildfire of note near the B. C-Alberta border that's about 130 square kilometres in size. The service says the third wildfire of note is the Summit Lake wildfire, and is also expected to keep growing due to winds and warm weather, and is now about 106 square kilometres. Six infants born with congenital measles in Ontario Ontario's chief medical officer of health says six infants have been born with congenital measles since an outbreak began last fall, adding they were infected in the womb through mothers who were not vaccinated. Dr. Kieran Moore says these infants recovered, but their infections could have been prevented if their mothers had been vaccinated and protected from contracting measles. Congenital measles can result in severe complications, including inflammation of the brain and death. On Thursday, Moore announced an infant born prematurely and infected with measles died in southwestern Ontario. He says the infant also faced other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus. B.C. pediatric closure spurs fear of ripple effect Dr. Jeff Eppler, an emergency room physician at Kelowna General Hospital, is getting ready for a hectic summer. He's not only thinking about the typical seasonal spike — but the ripple effects of the closure of the hospital's dedicated pediatric ward from May 26 to July 4 due to what Interior Health called "limited physician availability." And Eppler predicted the resource drain would extend outside the hospital, to ambulance services, as Kelowna General is forced to send other children to other hospitals, in Vernon, Penticton, or potentially even the Kootenays more than 300 kilometres away. Typically, it's the other way around. The closure of Kelowna's pediatric ward is part of ongoing hospital staffing shortages that have caused rolling closures of emergency rooms across the province. Service disruptions at the pediatric ward and concerns about the state of care at Kelowna General are also not new. But the abrupt nature of the pediatric closure last week, and a recent warning from doctors about maternity care is putting one of the province's biggest regional hospitals in the spotlight. A year of banning cellphones in school classrooms Sixteen-year-old Roha Akram was skeptical when teachers in Calgary announced a cellphone ban during the first assembly of the school year. She said the ban has been good for some students, who just need a reminder to focus in class, particularly when teachers are speaking. But some have struggled. As the school year wraps up this month, education ministries across Canada say there have been overall positive results from banning cellphones. Last fall, most provinces introduced policies to limit cellphone use in schools, similar to jurisdictions in other countries. Ontario's education ministry said parents and teachers find the ban has created a better learning environment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. The Canadian Press
