Destructive Fires Char Western Europe - NASA Science (.gov)

6 min readImage of the Day for October 15, 2026During El Niño, a cascade of fires across the tropics begins in equatorial Asia and continues in the central and eastern Amazon. NASA Earth ObservatoryOct 15, 2026 Article Unlike a tornado or thunderstorm that can deliver destruction in minutes, El Niño exerts its influence over many months. This year, a drought accompanying El Niño has left the Amazon rainforest primed to burn, and scientists say the region has entered the early stages of what they think will be a long and severe fire season.

Firefighters have raised alarms about hot, fast, hard-to-extinguish fires in lithium batteries from e-bikes in people's homes (including ones in Toronto and Peterborough, Ont., just this week) and huge storage batteries at a P. E. I. solar farm last month. Concerns about lithium battery fires have led to bans of electric bikes and cars in some buildings, public transit and ferries, causing problems for people who rely on them. They've also made some people hesitant about trying electric vehicles. This week is Fire Prevention Week, and lithium batteries are the official theme. Here's a closer look at why lithium battery fires are a challenge and what can be done to minimize the risks. WATCH | Why lithium-ion batteries are so dangerous:Why lithium-ion batteries are so dangerousAugust 20|Duration 2:08Toronto has seen more than 200 per cent growth in lithium-ion battery fires since 2022, according to Toronto's Fire Chief. CBC's Lane Harrison explains what's behind the surge and why these fires are so difficult to fight. How common are lithium battery fires?

I don’t know all the details yet, as the formal announcement will be made just after this article is published, but Premier Tim Houston is going all-in for a gigantic data centre in Point Tupper. As Jennifer Henderson reported last night:

Andrew White, CEO of CHAR Tech. Photo: Andrew Snook. CHAR Technologies Ltd. has announced the substantial completion of Phase 1 mechanical and electrical construction at its Thorold Renewable Energy Facility, marking a significant step towards commercial production of biocarbon. The facility, co-owned with The BMI Group, is set to generate its first revenues as it ramps up operations.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researcher Isaiah Santistevan led the development of three-dimensional simulations exploring how a nuclear device could deflect or disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth. Credit: Blaise Douros/LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are developing three-dimensional simulations to examine how a nuclear device could be used to deflect or potentially disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth.