Canadian wildfires force evacuations in BC and send smoke into Ontario

The British Columbia Wildfire Service reported that the Brunswick Creek fire, discovered on July 2, has burned about 2,621 hectares and, together with the nearby Ainslie Creek fire (15,497 ha), remains out of control. Strong winds have pushed the flames away from nearby communities, while evacuation orders affect several First Nations reserves and local residents, and Highway 1 near Boston Bar remains closed.

In Quebec, wildfire activity exploded from roughly 9,300 ha at the end of June to more than 530,000 ha by July 11. Northerly winds are driving a dense smoke plume southward, lowering air‑quality indexes in parts of Ontario, including the Ottawa‑Gatineau region, Kingston, Cobourg and the Niagara Peninsula, prompting health advisories.

Both incidents are under investigation for possible human causes and highlight the ongoing fire danger across western and eastern Canada this summer.