• B.C. declares provincial emergency as out-of-control Bald Range wildfire grows to over 10 000 ha (25 000 acres)

    ByRishav Kothari

    British Columbia declared a State of Provincial Emergency on August 8, 2026, after the rapidly expanding Bald Range wildfire pushed into the Summerland area and forced large-scale evacuations across the South Okanagan. By August 9, BC Wildfire Service classified the 10 341 ha (25 552 acres) fire as a Wildfire of Note and Out of Control, with five Evacuation Orders and four Evacuation Alerts associated with the incident. By 21:30 PDT on August 8 (04:30 UTC on August 9), all 5 688 properties in the District of Summerland were under Evacuation Order, while the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen reported another 416 properties under order and 1 100 under alert.

  • Out-of-control Bradley Creek wildfire burns 2 852 ha and destroys more than 200 structures in British Columbia, Canada

    ByRishav Kothari

    The Bradley Creek wildfire remained Out of Control at an estimated 2 852 ha (7 047 acres) west of Vernon, British Columbia, on August 5, 2026. The blaze  destroyed more than 200 structures, prompting evacuation orders and a Do Not Consume Water Advisory across affected areas. Meanwhile, firefighters extinguished hotspots and BC Hydro cleared downed lines and impacted infrastructure.

  • Minnesota sets new air pollution record, Superior National Forest reports the worst wildfire conditions in 20 years

    ByRishav Kothari

    Record-breaking wildfire smoke has reduced air quality across much of Minnesota, with pollution levels becoming so high that they exceeded the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s routine quality-control limits. The smoke is being generated from wildfires burning across Minnesota and parts of southern Canada. The Superior National Forest is experiencing the worst wildfire conditions in 20 years. Officials warn that hazardous smoke, extreme fire behavior, and additional wildfire growth are expected to continue as crews respond to 15 active fires across the Forest.

  • Out-of-control wildfires force evacuations in Wrigley and Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

    ByRishav Kothari

    Wildfires burning in Canada’s Northwest Territories prompted evacuation orders for the communities of Wrigley and Fort Simpson on June 28 and 29, 2026, as two lightning-caused fires remained out of control. The blaze threatening Fort Simpson had expanded to more than 8 900 ha (21 992 acres) by June 29, while more than 62 000 ha (153 209 acres) had burned across the territory.

  • Evacuation orders issued near Lytton as Saw Creek wildfire grows to 200 ha (494 acres), British Columbia, Canada

    ByRishav Kothari

    Authorities issued evacuation orders for areas east of the Highway 1 corridor near Lytton, British Columbia, as the Saw Creek wildfire grew to an estimated 200 ha (494 acres) on June 20, 2026. Officials warned that the out-of-control wildfire poses a significant risk to life as emergency operations continue south of the community.

  • Wildfires caused record losses in 2025 despite having the second-lowest burn area since 2002

    ByRishav Kothari

    A new study found that 335 million ha (828 million ha) burned worldwide in 2025, the second-lowest global wildfire total since 2002 and 16% below the long-term average. Despite that, 2025 became the costliest year on record for insured wildfire losses globally, with more than 300 000 evacuations and over 90 fatalities linked to major fires in Canada, the United States, Europe, and South Korea.

  • Smoke from Canadian wildfires triggers air quality alerts in 10 U.S. states, 2025 nears second-worst year

    ByRishav Kothari

    Air quality alerts were issued across the U.S. Midwest and Northeast on Monday, August 4, 2025, and remain in effect on August 5, as over 740 wildfires burning across Canada send smoke to the U.S.  Currently, 2025 is the third most destructive year for wildfires in Canada and is likely to become the second most destructive year surpassing 1989 when wildfires burned over 17 million acres of land across the country.