From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
In an unprecedented start to wildfire season, crews in Canada were quickly overwhelmed and needed help from firefighters from other countries.
Experts say if Canada had its own national fire service, it could help prevent and put out fires across the country without relying on international aid and often overwhelmed provincial fire forces.
"A national air fleet, so we can move resources ahead of time when we see those extreme fire episodes coming and to be better positioned to deal with the fire load," Mike Flannigan, professor of wildfire science and the B.C. Innovation Research Chair in Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science told CTV National News.
Flannigan says when wildfires are sparked and concentrated in one province it can "quickly" overwhelm its provincial fire crews.
As of Tuesday evening, fires are burning across the country with more than 150 burning in Quebec alone. The smoke from the fires is causing poor air quality across the country and in the U.S. as it wafts south.
Bill Blair, Canada's emergency preparedness minister, said on Tuesday the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for higher-than-normal fire activity. According to Blair, without changes in the weather, this fire season could be the worst Canada's ever seen.
One way to mitigate the impacts of wildfires on Canadians is by gaining control of the blaze and extinguishing it as soon as possible, but Flannigan says the efforts are not preventative.
"We tend to also be reactive, we get the fire episode and then we place that call to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and it takes three days for that equipment to reach the fire line," he said.
To be better prepared, Flannigan suggested establishing 20 crews of about 20 people each—all prepared to go where fires need to be snuffed out.
"These boots would be well-trained and ready to go and arrive in those locations where we expect new fire weather and new fire starts and be ready to roll as soon as the fires arrive," he said.
Bruce Blackwell, principal of B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd. told CTV National News that the cost of a national fire crew plays a factor in its legitimacy.
"How often are we going to see these kind of fire seasons and how much money are we willing to spend to prepare for those fire seasons," he said. "We have to think strategically about how we create resources that can cross-pollinate across natural disasters. Can service floods, can service fires, can service hurricanes."
Flannigan says by preventing costly disasters like the wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alta. and Lytton, B.C., the money saved could help pay for a national fire service.
"This will save millions of dollars—the old adage, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' So prevention and mitigation saves in the long run," he said.
------
With files from CTV National News' Adrian Ghobrial
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated professor Mike Flannigan's title.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.