Wild weather: Hail, flooding and an historic April
Several people have been killed in flooding in Somalia, while troops were needed to clean up the aftermath of a hail storm in Spain.
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CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
'Long overdue' dikeland upgrades coming to rural N.S. community
A rural Nova Scotia community on the Bay of Fundy is preparing for the most significant upgrades in decades to the dikeland system that protects it from flooding. The work has been approved for Advocate Harbour, N.S., which has been identified as being at risk due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. People who live along the shore of the coastal community got to see plans for the project at a meeting in April. "It's been a long time coming," said Linda Black, whose home is within a couple of hundred metres of the shore. "It's scary when the tide is in full and that water is up to the top of the rocks." Her neighbour Mike Berry recalls the water being at his fence line during a storm in 2019. "The cattle were stranded on the high points. There was no damage, but it just put things in perspective," Berry said. The upgrades will see the height of the dike walls increased by two metres to an elevation of 7.6 metres in some parts. They will also be extended by an additional 500 metres to provide added protection to the community. The project is equally funded by the provincial and federal governments through a disaster mitigation and adaptation fund. Climate change is the big driver for the reinforcement work, with projections in Nova Scotia showing sea levels are anticipated to rise up to one metre by 2100. "The risk currently is that we're seeing flooding in certain regions of Nova Scotia and with the dike increase in height, we would protect the town and local infrastructure and agricultural farmlands from that flooding," said Jessica LeBlanc, a project engineer for the provincial Department of Public Works. While the dikes are continually maintained, LeBlanc said there has not been extensive work on them since the 1950s. The site is one of 16 the province earmarked for upgrades based on their vulnerability. Thousands of tons of armour rock will be needed to build up the seaward side of the dike, with grass on the land side, she said. The number of trucks that will be carrying rock through the community is a concern for the owners of the Wild Caraway restaurant. They are worried that the amount of construction might spoil the experience for their guests, who could also lose some of the impressive harbour view when the dike is raised. However, they're also pleased there will be added defence from any possible storm surges. "It's always in the back of our minds," said Marchel Strong, the councillor for the area, who is also a volunteer firefighter and has been part of the flood risk committee. "It's not if, it's when we have another breach. And it could be anytime," Strong said. "So it's definitely something that is long overdue." People in the area prefer the option that is now going ahead rather than raising up the road, which Strong said could have resulted in having to relocate the post office. And she's happy that on top of the dike there will be walking trails people can explore when the tide is out. "It'll make it much more viable for tourists," Strong said, estimating the project will cost about $7 million. The Advocate Country Store, located close to the shoreline, is pleased to know the embankments will be strengthened. The residential care facility just across the street, which already has a disaster plan in place, also thinks the work is important. "If a big storm happened and the dike breached, we would be quite vulnerable as our residents would have to be transported elsewhere and the community is quite isolated," said Bernadette Frank, the administrator of Chignecto Manor. There is still some permitting and regulatory work to be done, but the province expects work will start in the fall. The sheer size of the project means it will also take some time, with the province estimating construction will last up to two years.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Why has the sun been red in Waterloo Region lately?
People in the Waterloo Region area may have noticed the sun looked bright red as it hung low in the sky this week. While the phenomenon offers a fantastic opportunity for photos, the truth is the rouge tinge stems from the wildfires out west. Blood red sunrises and sunsets are often due to wildfire smoke that has travelled thousands of kilometers. The colour can last for days, depending on the size of the fires. Smoke from Manitoba and Saskatchewan has been billowing across the country, and is even causing concerns in Europe. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said smoke it making its way across the ocean. 'Several satellites have observed long-range transport across the Atlantic, with smoke reaching as far as Europe. An initial plume at high altitude crossed the Mediterranean region on 18-19 May with reports of the smoke reaching Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. A second, much larger, smoke plume crossed the Atlantic during the last week of May, reaching northwestern parts of Europe on 1 June. Additional plumes are expected to reach the continent in the upcoming days,' the service said in a news release on Tuesday. Wildfires are also blazing in parts of northwestern Ontario, contributing to the spectacle in Waterloo Region. FireSmoke Canada, a service that monitors wildfire and smoke, shows the smoke may continue to plague the Greater Toronto Area through to Thursday.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Smoke from Canadian fires reaches Europe: EU climate monitor
This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Sherridon, Manitoba, Canada on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP) Heavy smoke from intense wildfires in Canada has reached northwestern Europe, the European Union's climate monitoring service said on Tuesday. The huge plumes are at very high altitude and do not pose an immediate health risk, it said in a statement. 'Smoke originating from the wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan has been transported across the Atlantic,' the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) said. Satellites tracked the smoke in mid-May, with some plumes reaching as far east as Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. 'A second, much larger, smoke plume crossed the Atlantic during the last week of May, reaching northwestern parts of Europe on June 1,' CAMS said. Additional plumes are expected to shade the continent in the coming days. Wildfire smoke is comprised of gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide, along with water vapor and particle pollution, which can be particularly hazardous to health. A high concentration of carbon monoxide is expected to pass over northwestern France, including the Paris Basin, on Tuesday. The high-altitude smoke headed for Europe is not expected to have a significant impact on surface air quality, but is likely to result in hazy skies and reddish-orange sunsets. Manitoba in central Canada is experiencing its worst start to the fire season in years due to drought, and Saskatchewan to the west declared a state of emergency at the end of May, evacuating thousands of residents. 'Central regions of Canada have experienced a very intense few weeks in terms of wildfire emissions,' said Mark Parrington, scientific director at CAMS. Canadian authorities have forecast a more intense fire season than usual this summer in central and western Canada, due in particular to severe or extreme drought. Elsewhere, extensive forest fires have been raging in Russia's Far Eastern Federal District since early April, particularly east of Lake Baikal, generating carbon emissions of around 35 million tons, Copernicus reported.
