Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s government told ranchers and farmers on Friday to stop setting fire to the Amazon rainforest as clouds of dense gray smoke make the air increasingly unbreathable in the northern city of Manaus, threatening sanctions if they do burn areas of land. “Fire is not natural in the Amazon, it […] Read more
Brazil tells landowners to stop setting fires in Amazon ‘climate emergency’
Properties could be embargoed, agency says
Climate change made Quebec wildfires twice as likely, scientists say
Early snow disappearance led to earlier fires
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — The fires that tore through the province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50 per cent more intense, according to the […] Read more
International help rolls in to fight unyielding Canadian wildfires
Almost 80 of Quebec's fires currently out of control
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Allies around the world are promising to boost support for Canada’s fight against hundreds of blazes amid the country’s worst-ever start to wildfire season, which is fueling concerns about the worsening consequences of climate change. Forest fires continued to burn across Canada on Thursday, forcing thousands of people from their homes […] Read more
Air quality deteriorates as wildfires rage in Western Canada
Evacuations continue in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Calgary received a special weather alert on Tuesday, warning residents of poor air quality and reduced visibility as tinder-dry weather and shifting winds elevated the risk of spreading wildfires in Alberta’s north and west. As of Tuesday evening 89 wildfires are active in Alberta, with 25 out of control, according to the provincial […] Read more
Alberta wildfire fighters prepare for hot, dry days ahead
Temperatures to approach 30 C next week
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — An extended period of hot, dry weather that risks worsening wildfires in Alberta began on Friday, with special weather alerts in place across Western Canada and officials urging people to be vigilant. More than 100 wildfires have ignited across Alberta since last week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate homes, farms […] Read more
Alberta fairs, auctions offer space for evacuated livestock
Central areas catch break with moisture, cooler weather; CN service resumes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta’s ag societies and livestock auction marts are offering up pen space for producers forced to evacuate animals away from dozens of wildfires in the province’s northern and west-central regions. As of early Thursday evening, the province was tracking 76 active wildfires, of which 22 were listed as “out of control” and 17 as “being […] Read more
Alberta ‘crossing fingers’ for rain amid wildfires
CN mainline traffic west of Edmonton suspended
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Firefighters were counting on rain and cooler weather forecast for Monday to help them quell a dramatic start to Alberta’s wildfire season. The province declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to wildfires in northern and central regions that have displaced nearly 30,000 people and prompted energy producers to shut in […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs hit six-month lows
Chicago cattle futures rebound
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures dropped to their lowest prices in more than six months on Tuesday, while cattle futures recovered a day after hitting June lows on concerns about a fire at a major Nebraska beef plant. The hog market extended recent losses under pressure from concerns about the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle drop as fire closes JBS plant
Lean hogs extend slump
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell to their lowest prices since June on Monday on concerns that U.S. ranchers could temporarily lose a place to deliver their livestock for slaughter after a fire damaged a JBS USA beef plant. JBS, owned by Brazilian firm JBS SA, halted production at the plant […] Read more
JBS plans to reopen Nebraska beef plant damaged in fire
'Primary production areas' not hit
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — JBS USA on Monday halted production at a Nebraska beef plant that slaughters about five per cent of U.S. cattle due to a fire, but said the company expects to resume operations on Tuesday. The temporary closure highlighted concerns among lawmakers and ranchers that the U.S. is vulnerable to supply disruptions […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
