fires Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Beef Cattle, Forages, Livestock, Weather

‘Time is ticking’ on drought response for beef cattle sector

'We need answers like yesterday'

By Lisa Guenther, GFM Network News July 20, 2021

As Canada’s beef farmers and ranchers face drought, industry leaders are trying to find ways to secure feed and help those forced to sell rebuild their herds. B.C. ranchers are dealing with high temperatures that have “parched the grass that was there,” Kevin Boone, general manager of B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, said during a Canadian Cattlemen’s […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Weather

Hot, dry weather creates ‘significant uncertainty,’ AAFC says

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News July 20, 2021

MarketsFarm — Supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops only saw minor adjustments in the latest update Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with hot and dry growing conditions leading to “significant uncertainty” on the state of the country’s 2021-22 crops. Total field crop production in the country was forecast to decrease due to a […] Read more

A sign for Lytton, B.C. on July 1, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)

General, Reuters, Weather

Western Canada lightning strikes up tenfold, stoking fires

By Moira Warburton, GFM Network News July 3, 2021

Vancouver | Reuters — Lightning strikes in Western Canada over the past two days soared nearly tenfold from the same time a year ago, triggered in part by a record-breaking heat wave, meteorologists said, warning of more strikes over the weekend that could further stoke forest fires fanned by high winds. Over 710,000 lightning events […] Read more

About 100 animals were saved from this barn fire (believed to be caused by an electrical short) in southern Ontario in December 2018, but another 1,300 pigs perished. Statistics on the number of barn fires, animals lost, and causes are hard to come by in much of Canada, but these “horrific” blazes are far too common, says Humane Society International/Canada.

Livestock, News

Barn fires underreported — and far too common, says humane society

Most provinces, including Alberta, lack accurate stats, and that’s part of the problem, says official

By Jeff Melchior June 8, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes Even animal death in a barn fire is one too many. But at first glance, it would seem Alberta has a reasonably good handle on them. A recent study found that during a five-year period (2015-19), Quebec had 141 barn fires and Ontario 121 — but there were just eight barn fires in Alberta. The […] Read more

Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas State, Brazil on Aug. 14, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Cow-Calf, General, Reuters, Weather

Brazil Amazon deforestation soars to 11-year high

By Marcelo Teixeira November 18, 2019

Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil | Reuters — Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp increase under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. The data from Brazil’s INPE space research agency, which showed deforestation soaring 29.5 per cent […] Read more

General, Reuters, Weather

As Amazon burns, Bolsonaro tells rest of world not to interfere

By Anthony Boadle, Stephen Eisenhammer August 22, 2019

Brasilia/Sao Paulo | Reuters — Amid growing international criticism over wildfires raging through the Amazon, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday admitted farmers could be illegally setting the rainforest alight but told foreign powers not to interfere. French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres both took to Twitter to express their […] Read more

This sort of work is risky and should be done outside.

News

Simple steps for avoiding the nightmare of a barn fire

Annual electrical inspections, hard-wiring equipment, and good housekeeping are proven risk reducers

By Jeff Melchior June 5, 2019

Reading Time: 4 minutes A barn fire can be one of the most distressing disasters on a farm — no amount of insurance can rectify the loss when livestock are killed this way. Although there are fewer barn fires today, the pure destruction factor has never been higher. Ontario had 89 barn fires from 2014 to 2018, but the […] Read more

Grass fires are becoming more common and farmers need to recognize the threat, says a wildfire expert at the University of Alberta.

News, Weather

Climate change equals more grass fires, says expert

Farmers should be aware of this danger and take steps to reduce the risk

By Jennifer Blair December 18, 2017

Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s spate of wildfires across the western Prairies were not an anomaly, but rather a “glimpse into the future” for Alberta farmers. “In Canada, our area burned has doubled since the 1970s, and I — and a number of others — attribute this to climate change,” said Mike Flannigan, a professor with the department […] Read more

General

Six tips for safe barbecuing

August 2, 2017

Looks good, doesn’t it? But every year there are reports from incidents resulting from gas barbecues. Here are six common barbecue safety mistakes — and how you can avoid them.

News

Identify fire risks and take steps to protect your farm or ranch

There are a number of things that can — and should — be done to minimize the impact of fire

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry May 30, 2016

Reading Time: 3 minutes There are several things you can do to minimize the impact of fire. “In a lot of cases, it’s like a risk management process,” said Brad Andres, director of emergency management services with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Ask yourself about on-farm safety and identify the risks that could really affect your operation.” Being prepared with[...]
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Millers, bakers fret as drought withers North America’s spring wheat

ICE weekly outlook: Volatility expected in canola markets

CBOT weekly outlook: Analysts await USDA crop estimates

GFM Network News