British Columbia's prolonged drought risks damaging the salmon population for generations and has led to a series of emergency, rapidly deployed projects in an effort to intervene. In the Comox Valley, aerators have been installed in the Tsolum River to maximize salmon survival by increasing dissolved oxygen levels, and work has started at the mouth of the Tranquille River to re-establish water flow between the upper and lower sections so salmon can migrate upstream to their spawning grounds. More than 80 per cent of the province is at Level 4 or 5 drought conditions, the highest possible rankings, after months of little or no rain.
With wildfires raging across the Interior of B.C., and many First Nations being ordered to evacuate, community members say the decision to stay or go can be tough.
Grieving parents who lost their nine-year-old boy last week say their son died after a severe asthma attack made worse by wildfire smoke engulfing parts of British Columbia.
The wildfire has now grown to 565 square kilometres in size.
Air quality alerts remain in place for several areas in B.C.'s southern Interior on Tuesday as more than 200 wildfires continue to burn through hundreds of square kilometres of the province.
Lytton, British Columbia, broke successive Canadian heat records early this week, with temperatures peaking at 121 degrees on Tuesday. Then the fires swept in.
Lytton, B.C., has broken the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada for a third straight day, hitting a scorching 49.6 C on Tuesday.
Environment Canada said the weather system shattered more than 100 heat records across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories.
"Environment Canada is currently predicting highs of 21–22 C Friday to Sunday this week (Thursday is just short at 19 C). That's well above the normal for this time of year, says Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven, which usually sits at 17 C, but won't be record setting."
One short section of the river that last year at Thanksgiving had more than 100 fish in it, this year on the same weekend had less than 20.
The first heat wave of the season went out with a bang across the province
Looking around the deserted plaza in front of the Sandman Centre arena in Kamloops on Monday, it’s hard to believe that last month it was crammed with thousands of people who were looking for help after being forced from their homes by wildfires.
Wildfire conditions remained 'static' during the long weekend but fires still a concern through August
Warm temperatures prompting spring run-off combined with heavy rainfall in some areas caused devastating floods and mudslides in several parts of B.C.
With warmer temperatures in the forecast, the province has issued a high streamflow warning for streams and rivers across the Interior. Currently, Nicola Lake is about one metre below the minor flooding point, and it's forecast to continue climbing over the next 30 days.
The Yukon Fish and Game Association executive director believes it's just a matter of time before a disease outbreak, such as pneumonia, could spread from domestic sheep to wild Dall sheep.
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