The Canadian National Railway line through Jasper, Alta,. is open, but trains are moving slowly due to the wildfire that destroyed a significant part of the community this week. The implications for grain movement are unknown, but unloads are already down at the port of Vancouver.
Tag Archives wildfires
Jasper fires force trains to go slow
CN has resumed service but at a reduced speed through the area
Canada forecasts hotter-than-average summer as peak wildfire season nears
Reuters – Canada is expecting a hotter-than-usual summer with slightly below-average precipitation in central Canada, government officials said on Tuesday, offering little relief from ongoing drought and the risk of another bad wildfire season. Last year, Canada experienced its worst-ever fire season, with more than 6,600 blazes burning 15 million hectares, an area roughly seven […] Read more
Nova Scotia farmers granted late AgriStability entry
Enrolment for 2023 now an option until Dec. 31, 2024
Nova Scotia farmers who aren’t in on AgriStability for 2023 and whose operations were hit hard by weather events this spring and/or summer now have until the end of next year to enroll. The Nova Scotia and federal governments on Friday announced enrolment for the ag income stabilization program, which ended on April 30, has […] Read more
The potential impacts to field crops from wildfire smoke
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week ending August 30
Smoke from northern Ontario and Quebec wildfires was prevalent across Ontario for several weeks in June and early July. While a smoky haze was often visible during these weeks (see photo above), the heaviest days carried a campfire-like smell and reportedly even reduced visibility in parts of Northern and Eastern Ontario. What is the impact […] Read more
Climate change made Quebec wildfires twice as likely, scientists say
Early snow disappearance led to earlier fires
London | Reuters — The fires that tore through the province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50 per cent more intense, according to the […] Read more
B.C. wildfires intensify, evacuation orders double
Rain helping slow fires near Yellowknife
Kelowna | Reuters — Forest fires in British Columbia intensified on Saturday, with the number of people under evacuation orders doubling from a day earlier, as authorities warned of difficult days ahead. The province declared a state of emergency on Friday to access temporary authoritative powers to tackle fire-related risks, as out-of-control fires ripped through […] Read more
Alberta farmers granted late AgriStability entry
Enrolment deadline now Sept. 29
Any Alberta producers who were considering AgriStability — but only in hindsight — for the income stabilization plan’s 2023 program year now have until Sept. 29 to apply. Ottawa and the province announced Aug. 4 that they’ve reopened the jointly-funded program, as wildfires and/or “extremely dry” growing conditions have dragged on many Alberta producers’ work […] Read more
Canada’s record-setting wildfires could persist for rest of ‘marathon’ summer
Country's fires account for over a quarter of world's carbon for 2023
Ottawa | Reuters — Record-setting wildfires in Canada could potentially continue burning at an abnormally high rate for several more weeks, though the spread of blazes is likely to start diminishing in September, according to federal projections released on Friday. Forest fires have engulfed parts of nearly all 13 Canadian provinces and territories this year, […] Read more
What does wildfire smoke do to crops?
No clear evidence, and it depends on when smoke occurs
An early summer marked by frequent waves of wildfire smoke in Ontario may have negative impacts on crops in affected areas. Air quality statements were issued in June for every jurisdiction in Ontario, and many regions saw the air quality health index reach the maximum value of 10. The main concern at the farm level, […] Read more
Wildfire smoke could pose health risks to Ontario farmers
Staying indoors to avoid poor weather may be an impractical request of producers
Wildfire smoke and extreme heat are exposing many Ontario farmers to health risks when working outdoors. Since June, Environment Canada has modified and updated heat and air quality alerts for Ontario almost daily, often advising people to stay indoors. Why it matters: Farmers could put their health at risk by working outdoors in adverse conditions. […] Read more
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