'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
The damage across southern Ontario and Quebec remains extensive after a severe storm swept through the provinces over the weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and killing at least 10 people as of Monday afternoon.
As residents recover from the wreckage and wait for their power to be restored, many may be wondering whether their homes and cars are covered in extreme weather situations, such as the one seen Saturday.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says damage from wind is usually covered, but to ask an insurance representative to confirm what losses are included in their policy.
Most people can expect their home insurance to cover damage caused by hail, wind, snow or rain, including flying debris, falling branches or trees, as well as an contents that may become lost.
Vehicle damage is usually covered if a driver's auto insurance policy is comprehensive or includes optional all risk coverage, the bureau says. Mobile homes or trailers may be covered, but policyholders should ask their insurance representative.
Meanwhile, anyone who is unable to live in their home because of insurable damage may receive additional coverage for living expenses.
The bureau says when starting a claim process, be as detailed as possible when providing information, list all damages and destroyed items, gather proof of purchase, photos, receipts and warranties if able, and keep receipts for cleanup and living expenses if displaced.
The storm is being described as a "derecho," a type of rare, but powerful windstorm that creates "a long line of very active thunderstorms or microburst kind of situations," Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Live with Andrew Pinsent on Sunday.
Ottawa reported wind gusts of up to 120 km/h during the storm, while other places saw even stronger winds.
Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project surveyed locations in Uxbridge, Ont., and southern Ottawa on Sunday for possible tornado damage. A team is also investigating damage in Rawdon, Que.
Power could be out for a few more days in some areas. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has encouraged residents to work from home this week as the cleanup continues.
Ottawa Public Health says food in the fridge will usually last for about four to six hours during a power outage, as long as the door remains shut. Bags of ice can be used to help perishable items last longer.
However, after eight hours, the health unit says hazardous food items such as meat, seafood, dairy, processed or cut fruits and vegetables, and cooked rice and pasta should be tossed out if a fridge can't be kept below 4 C.
A full upright or chest freezer will keep food frozen for up to 48 hours during a power failure, the health unit says, and about 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
With files from CTV News Ottawa Digital Multi-Skilled Journalists Ted Raymond and Josh Pringle, as well as The Canadian Press
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
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.