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VANCOUVER: The impact of wildfires on Canada’s drinking water may continue for years after the flames are extinguished, with delayed contamination posing growing challenges for water utilities and communities, according to a global review led by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The study, which analysed 23 research papers covering 28 watersheds worldwide, found that wildfire related changes in water quality can intensify months or even years after a fire. Rainstorms, floods and snowmelt can wash accumulated ash, sediment and debris into rivers, increasing contamination risks long after the immediate danger has passed. The findings are particularly significant for Canada, where wildfire activity has intensified in recent years. In 2023, wildfires burned more th...

A new study has found that land-use changes following British colonisation have contributed significantly to Australia’s bushfire crisis by transforming open woodlands into dense forests with greater amounts of combustible vegetation. Researchers say these changes have increased wildfire risks and amplified the effects of climate change. The study published in the journal Nature conducted by researchers from the University of Melbourne in collaboration with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Corporation. The team reconstructed 1,000 years of vegetation changes fire activity and soil erosion in Croajingolong National Park in East Gippsland, one of southeastern Australia’s most fire prone forest regions. The findings show that colonisation triggered major ecological changes, including hot...

Silt flowing from the Shivalik catchment and the spread of invasive weeds remain the two major challenges facing Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh, Chief Conservator of Forests Saurabh Kumar has said following the lake’s inclusion in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. Kumar said the Ramsar designation raises the wetland’s international profile and recognises its ecological and cultural significance. The recognition is also expected to create opportunities for ecotourism and environmental education, potentially benefiting local communities. However, the wetland will continue to be managed under existing regulations including the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. An integrated management plan covering the wetland’s conservation needs has been prepared...

  A community led rewilding project in southern Scotland is transforming a valley that had lost almost all its trees with volunteers planting around 750,000 native trees since the initiative began in 2000. The restoration of Carrifran Wildwood is helping revive native woodland, wildflowers peatbogs and wildlife while inspiring similar conservation efforts across the United Kingdom. The 660 hectare Carrifran Valley was purchased largely through donations from around 600 people. The fundraising campaign took place before online crowdfunding became widespread with supporters contributing hundreds of pounds each to help secure the land for nature restoration. The project grew from a shared vision developed by zoologist Philip Ashmole, his wife Myrtle and a group of local friends,...

  New regional network aims to protect traditional livelihoods as shrinking grazing lands, declining yak populations and youth migration threaten mountain communities. Yak herders from Bhutan India and Nepal are joining forces to protect their traditional livelihoods and address mounting environmental and economic challenges facing Himalayan highland communities. The first Himalayan Yak Herders’ Network is set to launch on October 23, 2026, at Bhutan’s ninth Royal Highland Festival. The initiative aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation, share traditional knowledge and promote collective action to safeguard yak herding across the region. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the network will support collective advocacy, kno...

  Super Typhoon Champi has become the strongest storm recorded so far in 2026, with maximum sustained winds reaching approximately 185 miles per hour (290 kilometres per hour) over the Philippine Sea, according to forecasters cited by Scientific American. The storm reached this intensity on Tuesday afternoon, US Eastern Time. By Wednesday morning, its winds had weakened slightly to around 175 mph (282 km/h), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center placed Champi about 430 nautical miles south of Kadena Air Base in Japan, with the storm moving northwest. Forecasters expected it to weaken further over the following day or so. Champi’s intensity highlights the active tropical cyclone season in the Pacific, where po...

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has invited online tenders worth an estimated Rs 104 crore to pilot innovative technologies aimed at reducing outdoor air pollution at 40 locations across the national capital. Issued under the Delhi government’s Environment Department the tender covers a one year period and focuses on outdoor air quality monitoring services as part of ongoing efforts to tackle Delhi’s worsening pollution, which typically intensifies during winter. According to the tender document the project has been divided into 40 separate schedules each valued at approximately Rs 2.6 crore. Each schedule will be awarded independently, with the lowest eligible bidder selected for the respective contract. The initiative aims to test pollution control technologies at s...

  Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations could significantly alter the protein composition of wheat affecting its baking quality and potentially influencing the tolerability of wheat based foods according to a new study published in the journal Food Chemistry. The research led by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich found that elevated CO₂ levels changed the concentrations of several important wheat proteins. The extent of these changes varied among wheat varieties, highlighting the need to consider food quality alongside crop yields when developing climate resilient wheat varieties. Wheat is one of the world's most important staple crops, providing a substantial share of the calories and protein consumed globall...

  The Indian Ocean is undergoing significant changes in its seasonal exchange of carbon dioxide (CO₂) with the atmosphere potentially influencing its role in regulating global warming according to a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters. The research analysed four decades of data, from 1980 to 2019, to investigate how seasonal carbon exchange has changed across different regions of the Indian Ocean. The findings show that these changes vary considerably with some regions experiencing stronger seasonal fluctuations while others show a decline. Oceans play a crucial role in slowing climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide released through human activities. When seawater takes up more CO₂ than it releases, it acts as a carbon sink, removing some greenhouse gases ...

  At least three people have died and more than 2,000 have been evacuated after torrential rains triggered severe flooding across eastern Spain on October 19, 2026. Emergency teams used helicopters to rescue residents stranded on rooftops as swollen rivers, flooded roads and powerful torrents cut off several towns along the Mediterranean coast. The flooding was caused by Storm Adam, which brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to parts of the Valencia region. Authorities issued red weather alerts and imposed shelter in place orders as floodwaters inundated streets, damaged infrastructure and left residents trapped inside their homes. The death toll rose to three on Monday after emergency personnel discovered a woman’s body in Oliva. Two other women had died over the weekend: on...