Hot, Dry & Disastrous; Western Canada's Drought has Harvests Rotting, Salmon Dying, Fires Flaring
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [National Post] By Alicja Siekierska, Randy Shore, Will Chabun And Alex MacPherson - July 29, 2015
Record-breaking temperatures and extremely low rainfalls across Western Canada are causing chaos for farmers and firefighters this summer as they grapple with the worst drought in more than a decade.
The widespread hot and dry conditions in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan have led to a jump in wildfires, tight water restrictions, and pressure on farmers as crops remain stunted and the cost of hay skyrockets.
While some rain sprinkled the largely bone-dry Prairies this week, it may be too little, too late for the western provinces to recover fully before the summer ends.
Plans to help them cope have already been initiated. Thursday, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Ottawa would grant tax deferrals to livestock producers in regions affected by drought.
On the same day, with smoke billowing from a hillside behind him, Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed to take a hard look at new ways to fight devastating wildfires like the one raging near West Kelowna, B.C. In Alberta, several counties...
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