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Canada sees 100,000 square kilometres burned this record-breaking wildfire season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season has now seen 100,000 square kilometres of land scorched as blazes continue to burn out of control across the entire country.The total area burned is roughly the size of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Michigan combined. “There are some very, very large fires still burning and a number of them are out of control so that number is going to continue to rise,” Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said in an interview Thursday of the vast amount of land that’s burned.Canada surpassed the record set in 1989 for total area burned in one season on June 27 when the figure totalled 76,000 square kilometres, and communities have faced evacuation orders, heat warnings and poor air quality for months.The majority of blazes are now in Western Canada, and British Columbia has the greatest number, with more than 370 of the country’s 878 active fires, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre data shows.More than ha...

Novak Djokovic rues his missed chances after losing a highly entertaining Wimbledon final in 5 sets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Regrets? Novak Djokovic has two.There was that tiebreaker pretty early in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, when the 36-year-old Serb was one point from taking a two-sets-to-none lead over his 20-year-old opponent, Carlos Alcaraz.And then there was that missed volley on break point early in the fifth set with all the momentum at that stage going the seven-time Wimbledon champion’s way.“Some regrets,” Djokovic said after losing 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in a high-energy and highly entertaining championship match on Centre Court. “I had my chances. I think I could have closed out that second-set tiebreaker better. But credit to him for fighting and showing some incredible defensive skills, passing shots that got him the break in the fifth.“He was a deserved winner today, no doubt.”Djokovic has been a deserved winner on so many occasions in the past. Seven times right here at the All England Club, where he was one victory from matching R...

Heavy rains swamp Northeast again as flash flooding claims at least 4 lives in Pennsylvania

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (AP) — Heavy rains pounded an already saturated Northeast on Sunday for the second time in a week, spurring another round of flash flooding, cancelled airline flights and power outages. In Pennsylvania, a sudden flash flood late Saturday afternoon claimed at least four lives.Officials in Bucks County’s Upper Makefield Township in Pennsylvania said torrential rains occurred around 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Washington Crossing area, sweeping away several cars. At least four people died and three others, including a 9-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, remained missing, authorities said.Other parts of the East Coast were experiencing heavy rain, including Vermont. Authorities there said landslides could become a problem Sunday as the state copes with more rain following days of flooding.“My team and I continue to monitor the situation as more rain falls in Vermont. There are flash flood warnings throughout the state today. Remain vigilant and be prepare...

Tour de France teams ask fans to behave better after mass pile-up in 15th stage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC, France (AP) — Tour de France overall leader Jonas Vingegaard is calling on fans to behave better at cycling’s biggest race after another mass crash marred the 15th stage on Sunday.“I’d like to tell the spectators to enjoy the race and be there to cheer for us without standing on the road or pouring beers on us,” Vingegaard said. “Please, just enjoy the race.”The Danish rider leads Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia by only 10 seconds with the race about to enter its final week.The incident, which involved around two dozen riders, led to appeals from several teams at the Tour.“Please be careful. So that the party remains a party for the riders, but also for you. You don’t need a cell phone to create mind-blowing memories,” the Cofidis team said amid unverified reports that the spectator who caused the crash was taking a selfie.The Ineos Grenadiers team said “please give the riders room to race.” A day after a big pile-up forced several riders to abandon, ...

Christian Lundgaard wins Honda Indy Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

Christian Lundgaard has won the Honda Indy Toronto.It is Lundgaard’s first victory of the IndyCar season.The Dane started the race on the pole but ultimately won because of a failed strategic gamble by Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon.IndyCar seasons standings leader Alex Palou took second despite starting 15th on the grid and a damaged front wing.Colton Herta was third for his first podium of the season.Toronto’s Devlin DeFrancesco, the only Canadian driver in IndyCar this season, exited the race after 10 laps due to a mechanical failure.Palou had won three of the past four races on the North American open-wheel circuit’s schedule, but started 15th after an early exit from qualifying. His podium finish Sunday padded his lead in the season’s standings ahead of Dixon, his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate.Dixon, the defending Honda Indy Toronto champion, started seventh on the grid and even led for several laps but finished fourth after his team miscalculated when ...

Wildfire firefighter dies in NWT; 2nd Canadian firefighter death in a week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

A firefighter has died while battling a wildfire near his home community in the Northwest Territories — the second Canadian wildfire firefighter death in a week.The territorial government issued a statement saying the firefighter from Fort Liard died from an injury sustained while battling a nearby blaze on Saturday afternoon.Wildfire Information Officer Jessica Davey-Quantick says the firefighter was involved in combatting a fire that started July 7 in the Fort Liard District and is currently about 11 kilometres southwest of the town.Related Articles:Almost 80 evacuation orders, alerts across B.C. as wildfires burnSmoky skies for much of B.C. as 360 wildfires continue to burnMilitary mobilized to help in B.C. wildfire fightShe says no other information about the firefighter will be provided until family members have been notified.We’re mourning the loss of a second firefighter who was injured while protecting his community.This will be felt by the firefighting community in th...

Missing Ohio State student found dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A master's degree student at Ohio State University who went missing in June was found dead, according to a statement from her family.Amina Alhaj-Omar, 25, was initially reported missing on June 10 and was last seen near Interstate 270 and U.S. Route 23 on the south side of Columbus. Police said they found her car abandoned in the area with minor damage. On Sunday, the family said her body had been found earlier in the week. “On Wednesday afternoon we received a call from the Franklin County detectives when they later came to our home and informed the family that they had found Amina’s body in the quarry behind the BP gas station on S High Street where she was last seen," the statement read. "We are unaware of the details at this time as we have not yet received the autopsy report. We would like to ask the public for their prayers for Amina.”Police confirmed Sunday that Alhaj-Omar's body was found on July 12."Officers found the body of the 25-year-old in a r...

Here's where America’s worst drivers are found: study

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - Feel like you share the roadways with some dangerous drivers? A new study shows where that's most likely to be the case. The study by ConsumerAffairs reviewed crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and information included in the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The site then ranked cities based on four factors: crash fatalities per 100,000 people, the number of fatalities (per 100,000 people) due to bad driving, positive blood alcohol content, and speeding. "Bad driving" included driving the wrong way in one-way traffic; failing to yield; aggressive and careless driving; making an improper turn; following improperly; inexperience operating; passing where prohibited; and improper or erratic lane changing. Only cities with populations of 100,000 or more were reviewed by ConsumerAffairs. Stuck at a red light? You may need to let it know you’re there Cities with the worst drivers, acc...

ERCOT issues another Weather Watch as forecast anticipates extreme, high temperatures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) began a Weather Watch Sunday that will last until Tuesday due to forecasted higher temperatures, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves.ERCOT said grid conditions were expected to be normal during the Weather Watch, but also said it would continue to monitor conditions closely and deploy all available tools to manage the grid. KXAN FORECAST: Extreme heat, ongoing dry conditions through the weekend On Thursday, ERCOT said it set a new unofficial July and all-time peak demand record of 81,406 MW. However, its 6-day Supply and Demand dashboard has shown the possibility of a new all-time peak demand record next week.“There is currently enough capacity to meet forecasted demand. Last year, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records, surpassing 80 GWs for the first time ever,” ERCOT said.

Wild ink winger Brandon Duhaime to 1-year, $1.1 million contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:06 GMT

After filing for salary arbitration last week, winger Brandon Duhaime agreed to a 1-year, $1.1 million contract with the Wild on Sunday afternoon.This was the expected outcome despite the fact that the 26-year-old Duhaime filed for salary arbitration. Most players leaguewide come to a resolution with their respective team before an independent arbitrator has to get involved.The structure of the new deal means Duhaime will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s coming off the best campaign of his career last season during which he posted 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) across 51 games.Though he’s likely to fill a role in the bottom half of the lineup next season, Duhaime is a candidate to move up into the top of the lineup. He might be the fastest player on the Wild and he’s equipped with a sneaky good shot.It’s been an offseason predicated on patience for general manager Bill Guerin. He’s still waiting on the top priority of figuring out a deal with goaltender Filip Gustavsso...