Evening Update: Federal officials say ‘marathon’ wildfire season could extend into fall

News Snapshot:

Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories: The federal government is forecasting that high wildfire activity will continue across much of Canada this month, with the potential for the fire season to extend into September for southern B.C., the Prairies, Northwest Territories and western Ontario. Officials say Canada is experiencing an “unprecedented” fire season, charring 134,000 square kilometres to date, more than six times the 10-year average. Data released at the briefing show that as of Aug. 10 there have been 5,595 wildfires across Canada, releasing the equivalent of more than one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. “This...