News
Over 6,000 Told to Evacuate as Fort McMurray Fire Rages
As a wildfire rages uncontrollably south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, over 6000 inhabitants have been told to evacuate their homes. The wildfire, which was discovered on Thursday around 25 kilometers southwest of the city, has expanded into an 11,000-hectare storm.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, it was approximately 7.5 kilometers from Fort McMurray’s dump and 6.5 kilometers from the intersection of Highways 63 and 881 according to Fort McMurray Today.
According to Alberta Wildfire spokesperson Josee St-Onge, the fire has grown in size and spread to the northeast since the last estimate.
She stated that the wind is driving it towards Fort McMurray. According to St-Onge, the fire is approximately 13.5 kilometers from the Fort McMurray landfill, but “smoke is impacting visibility” and making it difficult to identify actual distances.
“We’re seeing extreme fire behaviour,” she stated. “Smoke columns are developing.” Firefighters have been removed from the fire lines for their own safety, according to St-Onge, but the aerial onslaught continues.
“We understand that this is a very stressful time for the community.” We’re doing everything we can,” she explained.
People in the Abasand, Beacon Hill, Grayling Terrace, and Prairie Creek communities have been asked to leave. Abasand and Beacon Hill lost the majority of the 2,579 properties burned by the Horse River wildfire of 2016.
Rush to evacuate Fort McMurray
People in Fort McMurray have been urged to prepare for an evacuation since Friday afternoon, when the wildfire, known as MWF-017, reached 200 hectares. A same warning applies to Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates, Saprae Creek, and the Fort McMurray First Nation.
“If you live in an area not subject to these evacuation orders, please allow these communities to evacuate first.” “It’s critical that we approach this in a safe, orderly, and respectful manner,” said Jody Butz, the RMWB’s regional fire chief and emergency director, at a press conference.
“It’s critical for me to understand that this fire activity is completely different from the 2016 Horse River wildfire. We have a plethora of resources and are well positioned to handle this crisis.”
Despite Butz’s warnings, many individuals from other communities clogged Highway 63 as they rushed to evacuate Fort McMurray. The Wood Buffalo RCMP stopped the route between route 881 and Highway 69, limiting transportation to persons in evacuation zones.
It will take awhile for emergency personnel to determine the real number of people that evacuated Fort McMurray.
High Winds Fueling the Fire
Butz stated at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that he is sure that no additional evacuation orders would be issued for the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region. He also stated that there are currently no signs that the wildfire would cross the Athabasca River.
Winds are moving the wildfire northeast toward Fort McMurray. Current forecasts indicate that winds will begin to carry the blaze west and northwest around 8 p.m. However, Butz also stated that the weather has shifted from beneficial to combative for firefighters fighting the wildfire.
“The previous days’ forecast was highly good. The favorable winds carried the fire and smoke away from the neighborhood. There were also projections for precipitation. That has changed, and they are factors over which we have no influence,” Butz explained.
Butz expressed “a high, high level of confidence” that firefighters will succeed in keeping the wildfire away of Fort McMurray. Butz mentioned benefits that firemen now have that did not exist in 2016, during the press conference, earlier interviews, and a council meeting.
There are less fuel sources for the fire because the 2016 Horse River wildfire burnt through dead and dry vegetation that had accumulated over time. The fire is now burning through dead grass and burned trees from 2016.
In the past eight years, wildfire combat strategies and methods have also improved. In comparison to 2016, there are more fire guards closer to Fort McMurray and more workers fighting the blaze.
Many emergency management leaders are veterans of the 2016 wildfire. People also have more experience dealing with evacuations.
“This fire is much different than 2016,” Butz added, expressing hope that reentry will be “quite quick.” “We are far more prepared and we have definitely reduced the impact of welfare on our communities.”
The Fort McMurray municipality advises people to:
- Follow rmwb.ca/alerts for evacuation information
- Be aware and stay informed by following official and trusted channels such as alberta.ca/wildfire-status
- Download the Alberta Emergency Alerts App
- Check road updates at 511.alberta.ca
- Follow local media sources
- Arrange with neighbours to advise one another of an emergency notification
- Prepare an emergency kit for your household
- Make an emergency plan for your household
- Evacuees should register online. Anyone needing accommodation or support should report to the Parkland One registration centre in Lac La Biche.
Wildfires in Fort Nelson BC Expands to 17 Square Miles Forcing Evacuations
Wildfires in Fort Nelson BC Expands to 17 Square Miles Forcing Evacuations
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
News
London Heatwave Alert: High Temperatures Set to Soar to 29C Next Week
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
News
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy is a Heart-Risk-Reducing Product.
(VOR News) – The European Union’s medical regulator has granted approval to Wegovy, a blockbuster weight loss treatment manufactured by Novo Nordisk, in order to expand its application to include the reduction of major heart events in overweight or obese adults.
In order to expand the scope of the medication’s applicability, this authorisation was granted. The purpose of obtaining this approval was to broaden the medicine’s application.
The Danish pharmaceutical company announced on Thursday that the European Medical Agency has formulated a “positive opinion” regarding the label’s expansion.
The agency made this determination after conducting a comprehensive examination of the results of a SELECT study that was subjected to rigorous monitoring. Other applications of the substance are facilitated by this conclusion.
The SELECT experiment, which was financed by Novo Nordisk and published in August 2023.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain semaglutide as the active ingredient.
Reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by twenty percent when compared to a placebo. The researchers arrived at this conclusion. This realisation was the outcome of the researchers’ investigation.
The notion that the European Medicines Agency label for Wegovy should be amended is a significant step forward for patients who are coping with cardiovascular disease and obesity, according to Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and director of development at Novo Nordisk.
The company’s statement, which was disclosed, indicated that the recommendation to update the label is a substantial advancement.
It is evident that Wegovy has the potential to save lives by reducing the likelihood of significant adverse cardiovascular events, as evidenced by the findings of the SELECT research. An additional benefit of participating in this exercise is that it helps individuals effectively manage their weight, which is a benefit in and of itself.
The company also stated that the label update incorporates data from the SELECT trial, which showed a 15% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes and a 19% reduction in the risk of death from any cause when compared to situations in which a placebo was used in conjunction with the product.
The SELECT trial was conducted in the United States, according to the company. Furthermore, the organisation disclosed that the SELECT investigation was conducted in the United States of America.
It is anticipated that the label amendment will be implemented within the next month, as per the statement issued by Novo Nordisk.
Wegovy has also been approved for use in the United States.
Similarly, the UK medical regulator has taken similar actions. The United Kingdom on Tuesday granted its clearance for the use of Wegovy to reduce the risk of significant cardiac difficulties or strokes in adults who are overweight or obese, such as heart attacks or strokes.
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America granted sanction for the medicine to be used in specific applications during the month of March.
This resulted in a rise in the number of distinct applications for the highly popular treatment, which coincides with the sector’s increasing level of competition.
On Thursday, Roche, a global pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Switzerland, announced that its Wegovy competitor weight reduction tablets will be incorporated into a collection of pharmaceuticals designed to mitigate the adverse effects of obesity.
The pharmaceutical collection will encompass a diverse selection of weight loss medications.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Schinecker, conveyed his satisfaction with the exceptional early-stage trial results of the two potential weight-reduction pharmaceuticals that the company is currently developing. In addition, he asserted that these medications demonstrated the “best in disease potential.”
In making this assertion, Schinecker was alluding to the fact that the medications exhibited the “best in disease potential.” He also stated that they will be a part of a more comprehensive portfolio that is intended to set the Swiss company apart from its competitors in the growing obesity therapy market.
This adds insult to injury. This strategy will be implemented in order to distinguish the Swiss company from other businesses in the market.
SOURCE: CNBC
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