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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Stay or flee: the decisions First Nations people are making in the face of B.C. wildfires
With wildfires raging across the Interior of B.C., and many First Nations being ordered to evacuate, community members say the decision to stay or go can be tough.
Sorrento, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Winter storms close the Yukon's Highway 3 for six days and counting
Yukon's Highway 3 has been closed for six days due to heavy snowfall and challenging conditions, with no clear reopening date.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Wolf expert praises Yellowknife woman for handling of 'not atypical' encounter
A wolf expert commended a Yellowknife woman for her response during a typical encounter with a pack of wolves, advising caution and proper behavior in such situations. "I had hiking poles and I started banging them together and I'm just like 'hey, hey, hey.' I know sometimes dogs respond to deeper voices, so I put my best deep voice on. I started yelling at them."
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Permafrost slump near Alaska Highway in Yukon eats up 13 more metres of land
The slump is so close to the Alaska Highway, the Yukon government is moving the road, creating a new section that will help protect the only year-round road linking parts of the Yukon, and the U.S. state of Alaska, to the rest of the continent.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Wolf believed to have killed pet dog in Yellowknife area
A black wolf that was seen travelling between Dettah and Ndilǫ this weekend is believed to have “mauled and killed” a pet dog, according to the N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Bluefin tuna washes up far from home in Salish Sea
Joe Gaydos found a bluefin tuna washed up on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington state. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the fish usually roam the more temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Crescent Beach, Orcas Island, Washington, USA

N.W.T. coastal communities walloped by weekend storm
Coastal communities in the Northwest Territories of Canada were hit by a weekend storm, causing high winds and massive waves that led residents to scramble to save boats and cabins from being washed away.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

There's a whole lot of potholes along Yukon's highways this summer
Motorists say potholes on some of Yukon's highways are the worst they've seen. They're calling on the Yukon Government to fill them before a serious accident occurs.
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

There was a blue-green algae bloom in Yellowknife Bay. Here's what you should know about it
A blue-green algae bloom in Yellowknife Bay sparked worry for people's dogs. Here's what an aquatic quality scientist and a veterinarian have to say about it.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Heat wave forecast for many N.W.T. communities
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued heat warnings for Yellowknife and many communities in the South Slave, Sahtu and Beaufort Delta regions — where day time temperatures near 30 C and overnight lows near 20 C are expected in the coming days. People are urged to seek out air conditioned spaces to seek relief.

Avian flu detected on poultry farm in Chilliwack, B.C.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been detected on a poultry farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia, marking the first confirmed case in the province this fall and prompting increased precautions among poultry farmers.
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

2 killed in suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada's Banff National Park
Two people were killed in a suspected grizzly bear attack in Banff National Park, Canada, leading to the euthanization of the bear for public safety.
Banff, Alberta, Canada

Boy, 9, died of asthma attack made worse by wildfire smoke, parents say
Grieving parents who lost their nine-year-old boy last week say their son died after a severe asthma attack made worse by wildfire smoke engulfing parts of British Columbia.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

Not so solitary predators? Great white shark duo appear to be traveling together
Jekyll and Simon keep showing up in all the same places — which is weird, because they are great white sharks. The apex predators are widely believed to be solitary creatures, not dependent on family networks or group dynamics to navigate the oceans.
Gulf of St. Lawrence

Waterfalls now 'trickling': Low water brings changes to Hay River, N.W.T.
Impressive amounts of water normally rush over Alexandra Falls and Louise Falls in the N.W.T. But amid hot and dry conditions, These majestic waterfalls look nothing like they do at their full force.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Where are N.W.T. evacuees going? Here's the latest on flights out of wildfire-threatened communities
With five N.W.T. communities evacuated as wildfires roll through the southern part of the territory, there has been a co-ordinated effort to fly out anyone still trapped in Fort Smith, Hay River and Kátł'odeeche First Nation.Here's our roundup on who's flying where, and when.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

N.W.T. bison anthrax outbreak grows to 27 dead animals
This is the ninth outbreak in the territory since 1965. About 60 bison died in an outbreak in Wood Buffalo National Park last year. More than 300 died in the territory's largest outbreak in 2012. Bison can become infected with anthrax while grazing or taking dust baths.
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada

Residents prepare to flee wildfire burning off Alaska Highway in the Yukon's Ibex Valley
Takhini River resident Georgina Widney said she is packed and ready to go if the evacuation alert for her area in the Ibex Valley changes to an evacuation order.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Pack of wolves north of Yellowknife reported stalking hikers, pets
The N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change has warned anyone using trails north of Yellowknife to use "extreme caution" after wildlife officers reported a pack of wolves stalking a hiker and their dogs in the area on Saturday.

'Am I actually seeing this?': Muskox spotted in Fort Chipewyan, Alta.
Darlene Cardinal slammed her brakes in order to stop herself from crashing into a wild muskox last month. It was a rare event for someone who lives in Fort Chipewyan, Alta.
Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, Canada

Boaters urge others to be more prepared after Great Slave Lake rescue
Samuel Roberts, 65, and Mark Elson, 51, said they were not prepared to be lost along the shore of Great Slave Lake when they headed out for a short fishing trip. But it became smoky and foggy, and the men became disoriented. The following day, when the air cleared, Roberts said they couldn't recognize anything. "We had no idea that we crossed over the Dettah side and [were] headed to the East Arm," said Elson.
Dettah, Northwest Territories, Canada

Tick carrying Lyme disease bacteria found on dog in N.W.T.
A Lyme disease-carrying tick was found on a dog in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., with uncertainty about whether the tick originated locally or from a southern province.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Less snowpack, low rainfall, higher demand. Experts offer answers on low water levels in Lethbridge
Water levels in the Oldman River reservoir are the lowest they've ever been since its construction in the early 1990s. The reservoir and the river are responsible for supplying water to a number of local communities, including Lethbridge.
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Ice that survived Arctic summer hits low, with implications for traditional harvesting and shipping
David Kuptana, an elder and full-time harvester said ice should be forming around his home on Victoria Island this time of year — but instead, temperatures have been hovering around zero and it's been raining.
Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada

Calm but overwhelmed: wildfire evacuees from Behchokǫ̀ start to arrive in Yellowknife
Behchokǫ̀, a community of about 2,000 people northwest of Yellowknife, issued an evacuation order shortly before 6 p.m Monday evening. A wildfire is burning about 25 kilometres to the east of the Behchokǫ̀, and 45 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife.
Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories, Canada

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