• Very bright fireball seen over Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver

    A very bright fireball was observed over the skies of Washington, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada at around 02:17 UTC on Sunday, December 29, 2024. Observers noted that the fireball was particularly bright and visible through heavy cloud cover, displaying hues of white, green, and red with some reports of yellow and light blue.

  • Wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia force evacuations, Canada

    Wildfires in northern Alberta prompted evacuations of three communities as the province contends with five significant blazes posing a severe threat to safety and infrastructure. Over 5 000 residents were affected, covering 62 000 ha (150 000 acres). Meanwhile, British Columbia is battling over 300 wildfires, exacerbated by a three-week heatwave. High temperatures and lightning have caused widespread evacuation orders, with firefighters struggling to contain the rapidly spreading flames across both provinces.

  • Extreme cold event in BC causes near-total crop failure, Canada

    The British Columbia wine industry is bracing for unprecedented crop losses due to an extreme cold event in January 2024, with preliminary estimates forecasting a production decrease of 97 – 99%, resulting in industry-wide revenue losses between $440 – 445 million.

  • Record highs in Victoria follow coldest January 12 in 55 years, Canada

    Victoria, the capital of the Canadian province of British Columbia, recorded its warmest January 29 ever with 15.3 °C (59.5 °F) at the Gonzales weather station, surpassing the previous record of 13.3 °C (55.9 °F) set in 1931. This record-breaking warmth follows closely on the heels of the coldest January 12 in 55 years.