Reading Time: < 1 minute Organizations can apply for a $500 grant to host a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in their area. The ‘Prep Day’ is held on the first Saturday in May (May 6 this year) with the goal of bringing residents together to “work on projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and increase their resilience to it.” […] Read more
Grant aims to raise awareness of wildfire risk
Livestock affected by wildfire smoke, too
Reading Time: < 1 minute The extensive smoke from this year’s wildfires has prompted the American Veterinary Medical Association to put out an advisory for pets and livestock. “If you can see or feel the effects of smoke yourself, you also should take precautions to keep your animals — both pets and livestock — safe.” It urges animal owners to […] Read more
Request line open for AgriRecovery drought plans, Bibeau says
Formal ask needed to trigger process: ag minister
Canada’s federal agriculture minister says the government is “ready to receive formal submissions” from provinces for AgriRecovery plans to help Prairie farmers and ranchers up against significant droughts this summer. Marie-Claude Bibeau, summarizing discussions from Thursday’s online meeting with provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers, said the formal requests “are needed to trigger the process,” […] Read more
CN, CP trains ordered to slow down against fire risk
Ministerial order in effect until Oct. 31
A new federal ministerial order calls for Canada’s big two railways to significantly cut their train speeds in any areas deemed to be at an “extreme” fire risk. “With extreme weather events occurring more severely and frequently in Canada due to climate change, it is important to have an adaptive regulatory system that responds to […] Read more
B.C. presses for ranchers to register before wildfires hit
Premises ID helps protect livestock in emergencies, province says
British Columbia’s provincial ag ministry hopes to shore up ranchers’ participation in the Premises Identification program against the risk of further wildfires this year. About two-thirds, or 5,200, of B.C.’s non-supply managed livestock producers, and all the supply-managed dairy cattle and poultry premises in the province, are registered in the program, the province said Wednesday. […] Read more
It doesn’t take much to reduce fire risk in the farmyard
An easy-to-do cleanup of the yard and area right next to the house is worthwhile
Reading Time: 2 minutes Provincial officials are urging farmers and acreage owners to ‘FireSmart’ their property. Dry conditions have seen wildfires season get off to an early start this year and officials say rural residents can significantly reduce the risk of property damage with some simple measures. Start by walking around your home and examining everything within 1.5 metres […] Read more
Charred U.S. west’s ‘wet ashtray’ wine grapes left to birds
Reuters — Heavy ground smoke clouded Hanson Vineyards in Oregon’s picturesque Willamette Valley for more than a week following a Labour Day windstorm that kicked up wildfires across the western United States. Jason Hanson expects his crews may only harvest five tons of grapes, including his Chardonnay and Gamay varieties, down from the 25 to […] Read more
‘Lightning siege’ sparks wildfires across California wine country
Almost 11,000 strikes reported over 72 hours
Vacaville, California | Reuters — Lightning strikes sparked dozens of wildfires in northern California’s wine country on Wednesday, burning dozens of structures and forcing thousands to flee their homes. California was hit by nearly 11,000 lightning strikes in 72 hours, sparking 367 fires, nearly two dozen of them major, as the state suffered a record […] Read more
Impact of smoke on crops is more than a little hazy
Field crops are impacted but the science is scarce and the subject is very complex, say experts
Reading Time: 3 minutes After watching smoke choke the skies over their fields for three years running, producers in Alberta are increasingly asking what effect it’s all having on their crops. But unfortunately, little research has been done on the phenomenon. “It is so plant and environment specific,” said Jeremy Boychyn, research extension agronomist with Alberta Barley and Alberta […] Read more
AgriRecovery offered for B.C. wildfire costs
British Columbia ranchers and farmers who lost pasture or cropland or had to move livestock out of the path of wildfires this year may be eligible for AgriRecovery funding. The federal and B.C. governments on Thursday announced a new AgriRecovery program worth up to $5 million to help defray “extraordinary costs incurred” due to wildfires […] Read more
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