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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

B.C. hits Canadian September heat record again as smoke warnings persist
British Columbia set a new national September heat record with 40.8 C in Cache Creek, as wildfire smoke triggers widespread air-quality alerts. Multiple heat warnings remain in effect across the province.
Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Not normal: Ashcroft sets record for hottest September day ever in Canada
Ashcroft, British Columbia hit 40.8 C (105 F) on Sept. 3, setting the hottest September temperature ever recorded in Canada. A regional weather observer called the late-season heat highly unusual and linked it to a blocking high-pressure system.
Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Shifting Dominance in Ponderosa Pine Forests
An environmental impact assessment near Okanagan Lake reveals an unexpected shift from Ponderosa Pine to Douglas Fir dominance, attributed to fire suppression and climate change, challenging traditional forest dynamics.
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Drought in B.C. has salmon running 'a marathon in a sauna,' foundation warns
British Columbia's prolonged drought risks damaging the salmon population for generations and has led to a series of emergency, rapidly deployed projects in an effort to intervene. In the Comox Valley, aerators have been installed in the Tsolum River to maximize salmon survival by increasing dissolved oxygen levels, and work has started at the mouth of the Tranquille River to re-establish water flow between the upper and lower sections so salmon can migrate upstream to their spawning grounds. More than 80 per cent of the province is at Level 4 or 5 drought conditions, the highest possible rankings, after months of little or no rain.
Merritt, British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia

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

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
CBC

More buildings lost in main B.C. fire as heat wave is set to bake B.C.
The wildfire has now grown to 565 square kilometres in size.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Air quality poor in parts of B.C. as more than 200 wildfires burn across province
Air quality alerts remain in place for several areas in B.C.'s southern Interior on Tuesday as more than 200 wildfires continue to burn through hundreds of square kilometres of the province.
Thompson-Nicola J, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Dozens of bear paws, their claws removed, dumped roadside next to Shuswap Lake
Brandi Hansen, a longtime hunter and outdoorswoman, found the paws across the lake from Salmon Arm between Scotch Creek and Anglemont, they were dumped by a culvert, although some had been dragged to the road and scattered, likely by other animals. Hansen suspects poachers are to blame.
Sicamous, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Kamloops expecting mini-heat wave late this week
"Environment Canada is currently predicting highs of 21–22 C Friday to Sunday this week (Thursday is just short at 19 C). That's well above the normal for this time of year, says Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven, which usually sits at 17 C, but won't be record setting."
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

Adams River sockeye salmon run lacking fish this year
One short section of the river that last year at Thanksgiving had more than 100 fish in it, this year on the same weekend had less than 20.
Adam's River, BC, Canada
Castanet

Temperature records broken across B.C., again
The first heat wave of the season went out with a bang across the province
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Some Parts of B.C. Just Got Hit With 20-40cm of Snow
Snow arrived in certain parts of British Columbia over the last 24 hours, providing citizens with up to a whopping 20 cm.
Silver Star Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada
604 Now

Algae blooms throughout BC Interior
Concerns about water safety for human and animal consumption for drinking and for recreation.
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

Life returning to normal in Kamloops as wildfire evacuees head home
Looking around the deserted plaza in front of the Sandman Centre arena in Kamloops on Monday, it’s hard to believe that last month it was crammed with thousands of people who were looking for help after being forced from their homes by wildfires.
Vancouver Sun

No end in sight for B.C. wildfires, one month since state of emergency declared
Wildfire conditions remained 'static' during the long weekend but fires still a concern through August
Yukon News

Air Quality Advisory due to Wildfires

18 temperature records smashed
Temperature records were broken around the province with Vernon breaking an 111-year-old record
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Algae bloom prompts warning to avoid part of Okanagan Lake
The Okanagan Indian Band is advising residents to not enter or consume water from the north arm of Okanagan Lake until further notice due to a toxic algae bloom.
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

B.C. spring run-off and torrential rain cause floods and mudslides
Warm temperatures prompting spring run-off combined with heavy rainfall in some areas caused devastating floods and mudslides in several parts of B.C.
Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Water rising in Interior
With warmer temperatures in the forecast, the province has issued a high streamflow warning for streams and rivers across the Interior. Currently, Nicola Lake is about one metre below the minor flooding point, and it's forecast to continue climbing over the next 30 days.
Castanet

Lake Level Peak Elevation Shift, Shuswap Lake
Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada

Lynx Spotted in Kamloops Suburbs

Bighorn sheep in B.C. dying from domestic sheep pneumonia
A bighorn sheep herd in B.C.’s interior is in trouble after coming into contact with domestic sheep and the contagious disease they carry.
Chasm Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

'We have nowhere': B.C. First Nations, rural residents say storm permanently changed the land
"For our grandchildren and their children, now the devastation has left them nothing": Shackan First Nation Chief Arnold Lampreau.
Merritt, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

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