Index puts Winnipeg air quality at ‘very high risk'
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CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
How a weather system may clear some smoke but keep the Maritimes tinder dry
A dense haze of wildfire smoke is present over parts of the Maritimes. Meteorologist Kalin Mitchell has what to expect from it for the remainder of the week. Sorry, we're having trouble with this video. Please try again later. [5006/404] Hazy conditions developed aloft of the Maritimes this past weekend as smoke from western Canadian wildfires moved overhead. High pressure will move some of the densest smoke away from the region but at the same time keep much needed rain away from the Maritimes this week. Sonora, N.S. A more reddish hue to sunsets on Monday evening in the Maritimes as a haze of wildfire smoke was present over the region. Photo taken in Sonara, N.S. (Source: Jerry Julien) Smoke and air quality The densest wildfire smoke is located over Nova Scotia on Tuesday. A grey tinge to the sky and a bit closer to the surface compared to other instances of it being present over the past few months. Air quality levels in the region are generally forecast as level two or three by Environment Canada for Tuesday. Those are considered 'low risk' categories. The smoke does appear a bit closer to the surface for parts of Atlantic coastal Nova Scotia and the southwest parts of the province. The Halifax area was upgraded to a '4' or moderate health risk category late Tuesday morning. Air quality index Air quality index forecast issued by Environment Canada Tuesday morning. A moderate risk category for the Halifax and Lake Major areas. (CTV Atlantic/Kalin Mitchell) Private air quality monitoring organizations such as IQAir have some monitoring sites listed as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' in the Halifax area and the South Shore when it comes to the small particulate matter that comprises wildfire smoke. 'Sensitive groups' would include those with pre-existing respiratory issues and those individuals should monitor for symptoms and possibly limit time outside exposed to the air. The particulate matter present in the air is generally reduced (though not completely eliminated) when indoors. Smoke forecast An area of high pressure moving over the Maritimes out of Quebec will force that thicker plume of smoke further south and east of the Maritimes Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Tuesday smoke The thicker plume of smoke on Tuesday moved in from the northeastern U.S. but has its source as the western Canada wildfires. (CTV Atlantic/ Kalin Mitchell) That high pressure system will be in place much of this week and should prevent another thick plume from arriving. A thinner, higher haze may return Thursday and Friday of this week. Wednesday smoke The denser smoke is expected to be held mainly south and east of the region on Wednesday. (CTV Atlantic/Kalin Mitchell) Dry, dry, dry Unfortunately, the high pressure that may clear a bit of the smoke will also keep the region absent of much needed rain this week. The high pressure is even strong enough to keep Tropical Storm Dexter, which has developed just north of Bermuda, far to the east of the region. Dexter High pressure keeps rain producing weather systems, such as Tropical Storm Dexter, away from the Maritimes through Friday. (CTV Atlantic/Kalin Mitchell) Dry summer days with high temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s expected straight through Friday. There is some indication that the high pressure may move far enough east of the Maritimes to allow for some weekend showers. At this time though it isn't much more than a low chance of showers for New Brunswick Saturday and Saturday night into Sunday for Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Maritimers need to adhere strictly to any burning bans and restrictions as well as any water conservation measures put in place. Even areas not under official water conservation measures should, when possible, take steps to reduce water usage.
CBC
38 minutes ago
- CBC
Flash floods in northern India kill at least 4, trapping others under debris
Flash floods swept away several homes and shops in northern India, killing at least four people and leaving many others trapped under debris, officials said Tuesday. Local television channels showed flood waters surging down a mountain and crashing into Dharali, a Himalayan mountain village in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state. The flood waters inundated homes, swept away roads and destroyed a local market. "About a dozen hotels have been washed away and several shops have collapsed," said Prashant Arya, an administrative officer, adding that rescuers, including the Indian army and police, were searching for the missing. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said rescue agencies were working "on a war footing." "We are doing everything possible to save lives and provide relief," he said in a statement. India's National Disaster Management Authority said it had requested three helicopters from the federal government to assist in the rescue and relief operations as rescuers struggled to access the remote terrain. Officials have not provided a figure for those trapped or missing. India's weather agency has forecast more heavy rains in the region in the coming days. Authorities have asked schools to remain closed in several districts, including Dehradun and Haridwar cities. Sudden, intense downpours over small areas known as cloudbursts are increasingly common in Uttarakhand, a Himalayan region prone to flash floods and landslides during the monsoon season. Cloudbursts have the potential to wreak havoc by causing intense flooding and landslides, impacting thousands of people in the mountainous regions. More than 6,000 people died and 4,500 villages were affected when a similar cloudburst devastated Uttarakhand state in 2013. Experts say cloudbursts have increased in recent years partly due to climate change, while damage from the storms also has increased because of unplanned development in mountain regions. The flooding in northern India is the latest in a series of disasters that have battered the Himalayan mountains, which span across five countries, in the last few months. Flooding and landslides as a result of heavy rains and glaciers melting due to high temperatures have killed more than 300 people in Pakistan, reported the country's disaster agency. In 2024 alone, there were 167 disasters in Asia — including storms, floods, heat waves and earthquakes — which was the most of any continent, according to the Emergency Events Database maintained by the University of Louvain in Belgium. These led to losses of over $32 billion, the researchers found. A 2023 report by Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development found that glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan Mountain ranges. The study found that at least 200 of the more than 2,000 glacial lakes in the region are at risk of overflowing, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
'A fire season like no other': N.L. issues month-long fire ban for entire province
New Ban will be revisited Sept. 7 Newfoundland and Labrador has issued a provincewide fire ban as two out-of-control wildfires on the island's Avalon Peninsula continue to burn on Tuesday and threaten more evacuations. Forestry Minister Lisa Dempster calls this summer "a fire season like no other," and the number of wildfires so far this year — 192 according to government data — is putting a lot of stress on communities, provincial services and the environment. "A provincewide fire ban helps reduce the risk of wildfires and supports our efforts of suppression," Dempster told reporters during a media availability Tuesday afternoon. Dempster, who attended the meeting virtually, said the ban is in place until Sept. 7, and will be revisited at that time. Violating the fire ban, she said, can result in a fine of no less than $1,000. 'Historic numbers' Speaking on the two wildfires — one near Kingston and the other near Holyrood, which have prompted hundreds of people to evacuate this week — Premier John Hogan said he understands it's a difficult time for impacted residents. "No doubt it is a very serious situation," he said. Hogan asked residents across the province to be diligent about accidentally starting fires while in wooded areas, including when driving ATVs and using chainsaws. "It's no secret this has been an unbelievable, historic, dry season on the island, which is one of the major reasons we're seeing the abundance of forest fires," Hogan said. "We can't control mother nature of course but we can control what we're doing." The nearly 200 wildfires this summer have burned roughly 8,400 hectares of land across Newfoundland and Labrador. Hogan called it "historic numbers." As of Tuesday morning, Hogan said he could confirm the Kingston fire destroyed structures overnight, which he said wasn't surprising seeing as it had grown to 735 hectares. He said forestry crews are holding the line, but the fire burned aggressively through the night. He said it burned along Adam's Cove and Small Point. That fire remains very active, and two water bombers, a helicopter and bird dog are on the scene on Tuesday, plus ground crews. Hogan said the focus is on protecting structures in the communities and suppression efforts on the south edge — along the highway — to prevent the fire from growing in that direction. He said there was no overnight growth on the fire near Holyrood, which is 22 hectares in size, and ground crews will work on hot spots throughout Tuesday by dropping buckets from helicopters. "We continue to make good progress on this fire," Hogan said, adding there's no report of structures having been destroyed. RCMP Chief Supt. Pamela Robinson said residents feel anxious, but investigations are ongoing. "I need to stress that we cannot investigate what is not reported," she said. Even if people are able to put out a small brush fire, she urged them to report it. Robinson said fire investigations are very complex and take time, and can be complicated further by evacuations. She asked people with information, including about suspicious activity, to contact the local police department. "Our communities are close-knit and information and rumours can spread very quickly, which then in turn, turn into fear and frustration," she said.
