Israeli Air Force uses big guns to contain Jerusalem-area fire
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These efforts and weather conditions helped stabilize the situation, but the Israel Fire & Rescue Authority said in a statement on Thursday morning that its 155 teams were still working to contain the fires, in which no one was killed but which resulted in the hospitalization of 12 civilians and 17 firefighters. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes in the Judean Foothills.
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On Wednesday night, the IAF deployed its big guns in the fight against the fires: its two Samson airplanes, the Israeli name for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, which has only recently been added to Israel's firefighting arsenal.
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Samsons converted into fire extinguishing aircraft have been conducting dozens of sorties since Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces said, dumping up to 15,000 litres of water or fire retardant per flight. The Foreign Ministry has reached out for assistance to nearby countries, including Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy and Bulgaria, it said in a statement.
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On the ground, firefighters battled flames across the country, but on Thursday morning, they still had not 'gained control of the fires,' the Fire and Rescue Authority's statement said. Three roads that had been closed on Wednesday — Roads 1, 3 and 38 — were reopened on Thursday, police said.
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Canada Park near Beit Shemesh has been hardest hit, according to a statement by KKL-JNF, a eco-Zionist organization dedicated to the sustainable development of Israel, and especially its forest management programs.
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Several countries have already pledged to send help. Spain will dispatch two firefighting planes, while France, Romania, Croatia and Italy have also confirmed they will send aircraft. Ukraine has now joined the list as well, said the Foreign Ministry statement.
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Alongside the Samsons and another especially-fitted firefighting aircraft, Israel's firefighting Elad squadron has 14 Air Tractor AT-802F firefighting aircraft, five Airbus H-125 helicopters and two Airbus Helicopters H-145 helicopters. In the first hours of the fire that began on Wednesday at around noon, many of these aircraft were not able to operate due to strong winds.
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Shin Bet (Israel's Security Agency) is investigating the fires, which started on Israel's Memorial Day, hours before its Independence Day celebrations. Incitement calling on Palestinians to set fires circulated on social media ahead of the holiday, which coincided with dry and windy weather.
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National Observer
15-07-2025
- National Observer
Toronto couple turns to green roof as city faces climate-driven flooding
When Julie Wang sees streets turn into rivers after another heavy downpour in Toronto, she thinks of the 600-square-foot patch of greenery on her roof — and feels a little less helpless. 'It's a fantastic feeling to know you're doing your part — for stormwater management and all the other benefits of the green roof,' said Wang, who lives with her husband, Edmund, in the city's east end. 'If everyone does their bit, the collective effect would be huge. That's why I believe every flat roof in the city should be green.' The Wangs are among a growing number of Toronto homeowners turning to green roofs — layers of vegetation installed on rooftops — as a way to help the city adapt to climate change. Flash floods are becoming more frequent and intense, overwhelming aging infrastructure and causing costly damage. On Monday, Toronto ranked among the most polluted cities in the world, with wildfire smoke and extreme heat triggering simultaneous air quality and heat warnings in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Last year, flash floods shut down highways, swamped basements and pushed storm sewers beyond their limits in cities across the GTA. Friends from Julie's old neighbourhood in North York told her their basement flooded during storms. While no single solution can stop these impacts, experts say infrastructure like green roofs plays a valuable role in helping cities adapt. Julie and Edmund moved into their home on Gough Avenue about six years ago, bringing with them a shared commitment to sustainability — partly inspired by their daughter, who works in environmental conservation. A green roof was one of their top design goals. As well as absorbing rainwater, green roofs can reduce energy use, improve air quality and cool cities during heat waves. They also offer habitat for pollinators and extend the life of roofing materials. They weren't sure how effective it would be, but the results quickly exceeded expectations. Their top floor is cooler in summer and warmer in winter, thanks to the insulating effect of the green roof. Sedum plants cover the roof, supported by a system that retains rainwater and reduces runoff. They estimate it absorbs more than 70 per cent of rainfall in a typical storm. They also received a rebate from the City of Toronto's Eco-Roof Incentive Program, which helped cover nearly half the cost. One unexpected perk was the sound insulation. During construction, the couple had worried rain would drum loudly on the flat roof. Instead, the green roof muffled the noise so effectively that stormy nights now pass in near silence 'It's like sleeping under silence,' said Edmund. 'We barely hear it anymore. It's been great for our mental health.' A small fix for a big problem As well as absorbing rainwater, g reen roofs can reduce energy use, improve air quality and cool cities during heat waves. They also offer habitat for pollinators and extend the life of roofing materials. Toronto was the first city in North America to require green roofs on certain new buildings. The Green Roof Bylaw, passed in 2009, applies to commercial, institutional and multi-unit buildings over 2,000 square metres. In 2024 alone, the city approved 41 new eco-roof projects, adding more than 63,000 square metres of green roof space. To support smaller properties, the city offers up to $100 per square metre through its incentive program. Since 2009, the program has funded over 600 projects, helping divert nearly 19 million litres of stormwater each year. It has also cut energy use by more than 2,300 megawatt hours annually and avoided over 430 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. But green roofs alone won't prevent flooding, said Darko Joksimovic, professor and chair of civil engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). He said green roofs are more effective when they are part of a broader system engineers call a 'treatment train' — a layered strategy for managing water at multiple points, from rooftops to rain gardens to sewer systems. 'They capture rain where it falls, which is always better than rushing it into pipes and hoping for the best,' Joksimovic said. He added that if every roof in Toronto were green, stormwater runoff could be reduced by up to 30 per cent — significant in a city covered in impermeable surfaces, such as roads and buildings. Joksimovic also pointed to other benefits. At TMU, a rooftop farm produces several tonnes of food each year for underserved communities, showing how green roofs can contribute to food security and urban biodiversity as well. Stormwater costs rising, cities seek solutions Managing stormwater is expensive for Toronto, especially since the city doesn't currently charge property owners for runoff. Nearby cities, such as Mississauga, Vaughan and Markham, have long had stormwater charges to help fund flood prevention and infrastructure. To help cover rising costs, Toronto also proposed a stormwater charge on commercial and residential properties with large paved surfaces. But the idea — quickly branded a 'rain tax' by critics sparked backlash and was suspended. Public consultations were cancelled. Now, Toronto has set aside $4.3 billion over 10 years (2023 to 2032) for stormwater management, including $2.11 billion for its basement flooding protection program. A separate proposal for a commercial parking levy — targeting large paved lots that contribute to runoff — was also paused. City staff say more engagement is needed with the provincial government and Municipal Property Assessment Corporation before it can move ahead. The city is now shifting to a new green infrastructure program to help property owners reduce paved areas and install green infrastructure to soak up rain water. Growing interest — under threat Nearly 90 per cent of surveyed residents support more green roofs in Toronto, despite most being unaware of the city's green roof bylaw. Residents ranked air quality, habitat and cooling as top benefits. The bylaw is part of the city's green building strategy to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. But that progress is now under threat. The Ford government recently passed Bill 17, which removes municipalities' ability to set their own green building standards. Critics warn the law could undermine local climate action and make flooding worse. For Julie and Edmund, the motivation is both personal and political. 'We're losing so much green space,' Julie said. 'There has to be a balance. We can't keep building over farmland and wetlands and expect no consequences.' At their home, nearly 80 per cent of the property is now green space — including the rooftop, front yard and garden beds. The only part left is the garage roof, which they hope to green next. 'We're doing this because we can, because we care,' Julie added. 'But also because the government isn't doing enough. So we're doing our part — one roof at a time.'
Winnipeg Free Press
13-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Completely surrounded': Garden Hill residents evacuate, some stay behind to guard winter road supplies
Hemmed in by fire and smoke, evacuation airlifts continued Saturday in Garden Hill Anisininew Nation, as communities around Manitoba remained on high alert during the province's worst wildfire season on record in 30 years. As of early Saturday afternoon, 1,750 of Garden Hill's roughly 4,000 on-reserve members had been evacuated, said Alex McDougall, interim Grand Chief of Anisininew Okimawin, which represents four Island Lake First Nations. The target was to have an additional 1,000 residents evacuated by end of day. Except for an increasingly brief winter road season, Garden Hill is accessible only by air, and the evacuation airlifts — with support from the Canadian Armed Forces — are taking place amid a provincewide state of emergency declared earlier this week. Alex McDougall photo Heavy smoke is seen in Garden Hill First Nation on Saturday, with the community road on the far right in photo supplied by Alex McDougall, Interim Grand Chief of Anisininew Okimawin. Speaking by phone from Wasagamack First Nation, just before crossing Island Lake to Garden Hill, McDougall said the fire started in the community's south end, but has since 'completely surrounded' it. 'Our winter road supplies are on the north side of the road, so there are actually men watching the winter road supplies that came in so they don't go up in smoke,' McDougall said, adding that while water bombers were deployed to Garden Hill Friday, they were forced to turn back because of poor visibility. A helicopter with buckets is also being used to slow down the fire, he said. Like Garden Hill, nearby St. Theresa Point First Nation has also declared a state of emergency due to a separate fire on the south side of the lake, McDougall noted. He expects St. Theresa Point will be preparing their priority evacuation list and getting those residents out — given not just the fire, but the heavy smoke that is affecting the entire Island Lakes region. The grand chief commended the federal and provincial governments for their quick action in Garden Hill, noting that Premier Wab Kinew and Ian Bushie, the provincial minister of municipal and northern relations, as well as Churchill—Keewatinook Aski MP Rebecca Chartrand have all been in touch. During a video call Thursday, Chartrand received an up close view of the Garden Hill evacuation. The call was not technically about the wildfires, but rather, the recently passed federal legislation known as Bill C-5, which will allow the fast-tracking of major infrastructure projects — which some Indigenous leaders worry will come at the expense of environmental protections and Indigenous rights. With his phone camera, McDougall showed Chartrand Garden Hill's terminal, which he said was 'just packed — children and elders on the floor and not enough seating — and the line extending out to the building with Hercules on the tarmac and other small aircraft.' 'I think it was fitting for the federal government to see that because they were talking about C-5,' he said. 'We have been telling governments — science has been telling governments — that climate change is affecting the communities here up North, not just through wildfires, but the winter road season that's getting shorter.' On Saturday, a provincial spokesperson said the expansion of congregate shelters continues to match the rate of airlifts out of Garden Hill, though Winnipeg's Leila Avenue shelter is nearing capacity. Alex McDougall photo Garden Hill Anisininew Nation residents are airlifted to Winnipeg on a Canadian Armed Forces Hercules transport plane Thursday night, while the evacuation of the remote, fly-in community continued. The next evacuee shelter to open will be the University of Winnipeg Health & RecPlex, while setup of the RBC Convention Centre will begin Sunday. The spokesperson said a contingent from the American Red Cross is arriving Sunday to assist with the convention centre setup. With an air quality warning in effect in Winnipeg on Saturday, the third day of the Winnipeg Folk Festival went ahead as planned, while other outdoor events, such as Rainbow Stage's matinee performance of Rock of Ages, were cancelled. Meanwhile, in a live update Saturday morning on CHTM Radio, Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook painted a tentatively positive picture of fire NO061, which is burning north of the city. She said the cloudy and smoky conditions were keeping that fire 'fairly inactive.' 'It's actually a great day for the fire season. The wind's not too high,' she said. The city issued a pre-alert notice Friday advising residents to prepare for a potential evacuation. It was prompted by a separate fire south of the city, near Cross Lake. In the broadcast, Smook emphasized an evacuation may not be necessary at all. Rather, the pre-alert was to allow residents time to start getting their things prepared, if it was needed. Smook said firefighters from Mexico, as well as an incident command team from Australia, are scheduled to arrive in Thompson early next week. She asked homeowners not to run their own sprinkler systems in order to conserve water, as well as to remove combustible materials, such as wood, from their yards and get their vehicles fully gassed up, before the need may arise. In an interview Saturday, Chartrand said Ottawa is keeping a 'close eye' on the fires and is ready to step in if the province needs additional support. The minister of northern and Arctic affairs said she was in constant communication with her federal partners, as well as local leaders — both First Nations and municipal. Looking towards the future, one where wildfire seasons are set to intensify, Chartrand said she and Eleanor Olszewski, the federal minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, are in agreement there's a need to shift from 'crisis response to risk reduction.' Alex McDougall photo Wildfires are seen approaching Garden Hill Anisininew Nation in this aerial photo taken Thursday night. She said they are looking at a number of recommendations to improve wildfire responses, such as developing a fully funded, Indigenous-led emergency management system and the establishment of standards to ensure that the North has more resources to respond to fires, which may mean more training opportunities and emergency preparedness education, like drills. 'But yes, infrastructure is important,' she added. 'We know that we need additional access roads or routes to get people out safely. We saw this in Pukatawagan, for example. So we need to look at fire-smart infrastructure upgrades.' Chartrand also said that when it comes to Bill C-5, history has shown that Indigenous consent is crucial in order to move major infrastructure projects forward, which is a perspective she and other Indigenous ministers are emphasizing in Ottawa. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Marsha McLeodInvestigative reporter Marsha is an investigative reporter. She joined the Free Press in 2023. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Ottawa Citizen
11-07-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
Heat wave forecast in Ottawa for next 4-5 days amid Bluesfest's first week
Article content Environment Canada has issued a notice that they expect 'a prolonged period of near heat warning levels' beginning Friday and possibly lasting until about Thursday. Article content Article content The agency is looking at daytime highs of 29 C-32 C, bumping up to a 'feels like' level of 35-40, when the humidex is factored in. Article content Article content Article content In fact, Environment Canada is saying Saturday, the popular show's first full day, will be the hottest evening in more ways than one. Article content At the first night of Bluesfest on Thursday, security could be seen spraying fans near the stage with water to help keep them cool. Article content 'The temperatures and humidex will meet or be extremely close to heat warning criteria, with the hottest day being Saturday,' Environment Canada said in a social media release. Article content They say a shift in the weather pattern on Thursday will likely end the multi-day period of heat and humidity. Article content As usual, Environment Canada has a list of precautionary measures to alleviate the heat conditions. Article content Among the measures: Article content 'Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water.' Article content Article content 'Heat stroke is a medical emergency! Call 911 or your emergency health provider (at the first signs of) heat stroke, which can include red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and change in consciousness. Article content Article content 'While you wait for medical attention, try to cool the person by moving them to a cool place, removing extra clothing, and applying cold water or ice packs around the body.' Article content Drink plenty of water, even when you're not really thirsty. Article content
