Current:Home > FinanceCanadian firefighters make progress battling some blazes but others push thousands from their homes -Wealth Navigators Hub
Canadian firefighters make progress battling some blazes but others push thousands from their homes
View
Date:2025-04-14 23:42:41
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canadian firefighters made some progress battling blazes in a British Columbia region known for picturesque resort towns, but hundreds more raging across the province have pushed thousands from their homes and flames also threatened a provincial capital hundreds of kilometers (miles) to the north.
There’s “finally a bit of a glimmer of hope,” West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Broland told a news conference of the progress being made Sunday in the Lake Okanagan region, which is known as a summer destination for families.
“The weather has allowed us to make progress,” he said, adding that crews were able to conduct more traditional firefighting techniques such as putting out hot spots.
More than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) away, firefighters fought flames bearing down on Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. The fire remained about 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the city, which was left virtually empty after nearly all of its 20,000 residents fled for safety.
“Even as things dried out and fire behavior picked up, we were able to do some good suppression work form the air and limit the progression,” fire information officer Mike Westwick said at a media briefing Sunday night.
Canada has seen a record number of wildfires this year that have also caused choking smoke in parts of the U.S. All told, there have been more than 5,700 fires, which have burned more than 137,000 square kilometers (53,000 square miles) from one end of Canada to the other, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Hundreds of fires continued to rage across British Columbia and 35,000 people were under evacuation orders Sunday.
“It is still very much dynamic,” said Jerrad Schroeder, a British Columbia Wildfire Service chief. “There’s still portions of this fire that we just have not prioritized.”
Fire chief Broland also conceded that “some may be coming back to nothing” when evacuees are allowed to return.
“Some of you have lost your homes. There’s no question about that,” he said. “There are lots of backyards where the fire has come right to your patio furniture. And it’s been stopped there because of the work of the 500 people that are on the ground fighting. ”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the approval of British Columbia’s request for federal assistance. “We’ll continue to be here with whatever support is needed,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a Facebook post, Yellowknife officials said they were working to establish wildfire defense lines around the city, creating fire breaks and using water sprinklers, cannons and aircraft dropping fire retardant. A protective line of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) has been established.
“We are not out of the woods yet as many factors can change the status of a fire quickly,” the post said.
Shane Thompson, the province’s environment minister said the fire was “unlikely to reach the outskirts of the community today or tomorrow.”
Still, in Hay River, evacuees could be looking at weeks before they can return home, Mayor Kandis Jameson said in a Sunday morning statement to the community’s 3,800 residents. Warm, dry weather and steady winds are forecast for the upcoming week, she said.
Among those who fled as flames threatened their homes in British Columbia was Todd Ramsay. He recalled sitting on his deck in Kelowna’s North Clifton area watching the fire rage on the other side of Lake Okanagan, about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) away. He didn’t think it would be possible for the flames to jump the lake, but they did.
“Sure enough, it started raining pine cones and tree bark,” he said. A fire quickly started behind his house and there were “huge plumes of smoke just carrying embers across the lake.” Ramsay said he turned on a water sprinkler and he and his family packed up to flee Thursday night as trees were burning, wondering if they’d see their home again.
By Saturday, Ramsay, his wife, two children, two cats and a dog had driven to North Vancouver to stay with his sister. Ramsay heard his house had not burned but didn’t know for sure.
“There’s definitely some anxiety around it,” he said. “I’m an artist. I have a lot of my paintings there. The more important thing obviously is all of us are safe. But we’ve worked hard our whole lives to have this home.”
___
Haigh reported from Norwich, Connecticut.
veryGood! (78798)
Related
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- Sam Bankman-Fried directed me to commit fraud, former FTX executive Caroline Ellison says
- US senators see a glimmer of hope for breaking a logjam with China over the fentanyl crisis
- Domino's is offering free medium pizzas with its new emergency program. How to join
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Pregnant Kourtney Kardashian Celebrates Stepson Landon Barker’s Birthday With Sweet Throwback Photo
- 'I am Lewis': Target's Halloween jack-o'-latern decoration goes viral on TikTok
- Swans in Florida that date to Queen Elizabeth II gift are rounded up for their annual physicals
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Misleading videos alleging to show Israel-Hamas conflict circulate on X
Ranking
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- When is the next Powerball drawing? Jackpot rises to $1.73 billion
- Why Brody Jenner Drank Fiancée Tia Blanco's Breast Milk in His Coffee
- 104-year-old Chicago woman dies days after making a skydive that could put her in the record books
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Under heavy bombing, Palestinians in Gaza move from place to place, only to discover nowhere is safe
- NATO equips peacekeeping force in Kosovo with heavier armament to have “combat power”
- Grand and contentious, the world's largest Hindu temple is opening in New Jersey
Recommendation
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
Los Angeles deputies were taken to a hospital after fire broke out during training
Guns N' Roses forced to relocate Phoenix concert after stadium team make baseball playoffs
Her name is Noa: Video shows woman being taken by Hamas at Supernova music festival where at least 260 were killed
Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
'Messi Meets America': Release date, trailer, what to know about Apple TV+ docuseries
Suspect fatally shot by San Francisco police after crashing car into Chinese Consulate
Argentina’s populist presidential candidate Javier Milei faces criticism as the peso takes a dive