 Every year there are thousands of wildfires in North America most of which – 55% are caused by humans. But because the fires we start are usually caught much earlier, the 45% of fires caused by lightning are responsible for about 80% of the total acres that are burned.
If your home is surrounded by forest or grasslands, you need to prepare for the possibility of a wildfire. The first step is to have good fire safety practices. |
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 One of the most powerful natural hazards to strike North America from the Caribbean to the Canadian Maritimes is the hurricane. In recent years they’ve caused extensive property damage and loss of life. Hurricanes have proven themselves to be dangerously unpredictable in exactly what their impact will be. The damage caused by hurricanes comes from storm surges, high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding and tornadoes which can be spun off the main storm system. |
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 Flooding is a frequent occurrence in many parts of North America. It is most often the result of heavy rainfall or the rapid melting of a large volume of ice or snow and is more likely if the ground is still frozen or if it is already saturated from previous storms. Floods can also be caused by dam failures. |
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 Earthquakes are caused by the moment of the tectonic plates that form the crust of our planet earth. If you live in an area that is close to a point on the earth where two plates meet you are more likely to experience earthquakes. There are many different types of plate movement and the strength of the resulting quakes varies widely. |
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 Power failures are not rare and no one takes them all that seriously until they're in a bad one. In 2003, a massive power failure turned off most of the lights in the north eastern United States and Ontario. It gave us a real taste of how poorly a city runs when the power goes off. Luckily it was summer. |
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 In the city we also need to pay special attention to our neighbors who might be extremely vulnerable to the problems of cold and isolation. Think of seniors- especially those living alone, young single parents with small children and neighbors with physical disabilities. Please keep them in mind when the temperature drops and the lights goes out. |
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