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On the 12th local time, the latest data from the Canadian Interdepartmental Forest Fire Protection Center showed that up to now, there are still more than a thousand forest fires burning across Canada, and more than half of them are out of control.
There are still more than a thousand forest fires burning in Canada
Geographically, British Columbia, located on Canada's west coast, has the worst fires, with 379 fires burning in its territory, more than a quarter of the national total. The British Columbia government predicted at a press conference held on the 10th local time that this year's forest fire season and drought will be longer than in previous years, and there may be drinking water shortages in some areas. Provincial officials say the government will have to take steps to protect water supplies as the drought continues.
According to local media reports, Alberta, which is adjacent to British Columbia, has also suffered from persistent drought and hot weather this year, and forest fires have caused record losses in the province and severely reduced agricultural production.
Persistent forest fires produce historic smoke emissions that affect the globe
This year's Canadian bushfires have been burning for months, generating huge amounts of smoke and carbon emissions that are creating a global disaster. The Canadian Weather Network Channel reported on August 8 local time that Canada's hot summer is producing historic smoke emissions, and a series of forest fires are setting another serious milestone for Canada, that is, the largest year of forest fire smoke emissions on record.
Weather Network Channel host: We asked meteorologist Kevin McKay to explain to us why Canadian bushfires account for a quarter of the world's carbon emissions. This number sounds particularly large.
Meteorologist Kevin McKay: Yes, by our professional standards, this carbon emission is also huge, already 5 times the average. This summer's emissions are already double the number recorded in 2014.
Weather Network Channel host: In addition to having a great impact on global carbon emissions, it also has a great impact on global pollution, and the smoke from Canadian bushfires has even drifted to Western Europe.
Meteorologist Kevin McKay: Yes, but this can be explained by the extent of the Canadian wildfires, which we have seen more than 13 million hectares (130,000 square kilometers) burned, more than in previous years, especially before 1995.
Canadian media reported that this year is the worst year for forest fires on record, almost all of Canada's 13 provinces and territories have been affected by forest fires, and more than 130,000 square kilometers of eastern and western areas have been charred. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Protection Centre, this is roughly the size of Greece and more than the area burned by forest fires in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022 combined.
The number of deaths in the deadliest fire in the United States in a century continues to climb
Recently, the Hawaiian island of Maui was engulfed in a terrible fire, causing huge casualties and property damage. According to the New York Times and Reuters, according to the news released on the evening of August 12 local time in Maui County, Hawaii, USA, the fire that ignited on Maui on the 8th has killed 93 people, becoming the deadliest fire in the United States in a century. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue dogs continue to search for bodies in the ruins of Lahaina.
The fire began as a seemingly harmless small fire spot, but soon spread into a raging flame fueled by dry weather and strong winds. The whole island of Maui was shrouded in smoke, and the terrifying sea of fire made it impossible for people to escape.
So far, only two victims have been identified, and residents of the island have begun posting on social platforms to find out the whereabouts of their loved ones. Maui Police Chief John Pertier called on residents with missing relatives and friends to submit DNA samples to help identify the remains, according to The Washington Post, while saying that identifying the bodies will take time because some of the remains were so badly damaged that they disintegrated when they were found.
It is worth noting that there is a century-old historical building of Cantonese Chinese - Hexing Hall. This famous Chinese history museum was not spared in this fire.
It is unclear how many people have been killed, injured or missing as a result of the wildfires. Senator Mazie Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii, told The Washington Post that at least 1,000 more people are expected to be missing.
Some residents have questioned whether more could be done when a fire breaks out, such as warning them before it spreads to their homes. When disaster struck, many people had to jump into the Pacific Ocean to escape.
US experts: There will be a greater threat of secondary disasters
According to CBS reported on the 12th, American environmental experts said that the Maui fire in Hawaii may pose a threat to the environment and the health of residents in the affected area, and with the advancement of fire extinguishing and clean-up work, how to safely dispose of debris and harmful substances will be the main problem faced by the disaster area.
On the 11th, the Maui County Government issued a water safety warning to areas such as Lahaina affected by the fire. The county government said that because the fire could release toxic gases and dust particles, it increased the safety of drinking water. Therefore, the government warns residents to use only bottled water when drinking and cooking, and avoid boiled tap water. Hawaii state health officials are advising residents to wear protective equipment such as masks, gloves and gowns when viewing the wreckage of their homes.
In addition, some environmental experts say that during firefighting and debris clearing, pollutants may flow into rivers and eventually into the ocean.
How to prevent the forest from "catching fire"?
(Poster News Editor Chen Fengqi, Comprehensive CCTV, Global Network, Emergency Management Department, Poster News, etc.)