Prime Minister Stephen Harper's trip to China comes amid a renewed focus on Canada's natural resource exports, including oil and gas, forest products, minerals and agricultural products.

A forest fire is threatening homes and cottages near the northeastern Ontario town of Kirkland Lake.

As firefighters work around the clock on three forest fires burning out of control in northern Alberta, officials issued a fire ban on Monday for most forested areas in the province.

A state of emergency has been declared in the city of Timmins, Ont., as a 24,600-hectare forest fire blankets the area in smoke.