Latest news with #ECCC
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
How air quality is measured when wildfire smoke rolls in
Wildfire smoke hangs over the Albert Street bridge in Regina on May 30, 2025. (CTV News Regina Skycam) With smoke from wildfires spreading throughout Saskatchewan, air quality statements and warnings have been and continue to be in effect for many parts of the province. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) measures air quality in several ways when determining if health risks are elevated prompting advisories to be put in effect. That includes when smoke from wildfires moves in. Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins says to simplify the process for the public, the weather office uses a scale called the air quality health index (AQHI) with a one to 10 scale. Anything from a one to a three on the scale means minimal health risks, four through six means moderate, and seven through 10 means high. Anything above 10 is rated as extreme. Desjardins said 10-plus readings have been and are expected to continue throughout the province. Fine particles represent the main health risk with wildfire smoke, ECCC says. Smoke from wildfires is a mix of gases, particles and water vapour that contain ozone, methane, sulfur and nitrogen dioxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, fine particle matter (PM 2.5) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), according to ECCC. 'When air quality gets poor, it's mainly due to something we call PM 2.5, particulate matter 2.5,' Desjardins said. The level of smoke or pollution in the air is then determined by a parts per million measurement. 'So, let's say that the PM 2.5 is 60. That means that out of a million molecules of dry air, 60 of those will be particulate matter 2.5,' Desjardins said. ECCC will issue air quality statements when the AQHI reaches moderate and high levels and warnings when it reaches extreme levels. As of Friday, the province said 16 wildfires are burning around Saskatchewan, seven of those are considered not contained. However, wildfire smoke can travel thousands of kilometres and fires from other provinces and the U.S. regularly bring smoky conditions to Saskatchewan. On Thursday, Premier Scott Moe declared a provincial wildfire state of emergency. A smoke forecast map can be seen here.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Edmonton area hit by 2nd-strongest winds on record in Thursday storm
A powerful thunderstorm swept through Edmonton Thursday night, prompting an emergency warning before the area was hit by the strongest wind gusts in nearly 60 years. Winds in the region reached up to 129 km/h, which marks the second-strongest gusts ever recorded in the city, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). "We're expecting wind gusts of, generally speaking, 90 km/h, maybe 100 km/h out of those [thunderstorms]," said Alysa Pederson, an warning preparedness meteorologist for the agency. ECCC said the storm developed from a strong low-pressure system and cold front, which is typical of Alberta's summer thunderstorm season. But this event was more intense than usual, prompting a rare "broadcast intrusive" alert, reserved for only the most severe conditions, Pederson said. The storm moved in fast, hitting the Edmonton International Airport around 7:15 p.m. MT Thursday, causing structural damage to a few buildings and the windows of vehicles in several lots. "It was a quick one. It came through here in about four minutes from start to finish," said Erin Isfeld, the Edmonton International Airport's manager of corporate communications. "We really came through this pretty much unscathed, when you think about damage to structures and vehicles; that kind of thing can be replaced or fixed. What we're really happy about is that no one was injured." she said. Airport officials had a few minutes' warning before the storm struck and moved quickly to protect staff and travelers. The airport closed its departure-level ramp in case of flying debris, and personnel ushered people into the terminal to ensure their safety, Isfeld said. Four flights were diverted to Calgary, and the airport experienced a short ground delay. Operations resumed within an hour. Airport staff knew the storm was coming, Isfeld said, "but I'm not too sure anybody really anticipated winds of 129 km/h." "We haven't seen winds here at Edmonton International like that for the last 60 years," she said. "So [it's] a very rare event to happen here." Pederson, of ECCC, said Edmonton last experienced stronger winds on Oct. 1, 1965, when gusts reached 146 km/h. The storm caused damage across several Edmonton neighbourhoods and surrounding areas. Trees were uprooted or snapped, and debris damaged some homes, fences, vehicles and power lines. Kolton Canning, an arbourist and owner of Trusty Tree Services, said his business' phones haven't stopped ringing. "We are struggling to keep up and we have a very specialized team and system to deal with this," he said. His crews are removing a massive fallen trees, including a 21-metre pine that crashed onto a home, he said. They're dealing with a variety of trees, but a lot of pines and spruce fell on cars, sheds, houses and fences, he said, adding that areas like Brookside, Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan were hit particularly hard. In the aftermath, EPCOR reported four power outages affecting 37 customers in various parts of Edmonton, but crews restored power by the end of the night."While our electrical system is designed to handle a wide variety of conditions, outages do occur for a variety of reasons, including high winds and storms," EPCOR said in a statement. Residents are urged not to approach downed power lines or branches tangled in electrical wires. Instead, they should stay 10 metres back and report it to 911 or the utility company, EPCOR said. "We will send a crew with proper safety equipment to remove the object and repair any damage," the company said. Pederson, from ECCC, noted that climate change could cause more events like this. "We are seeing impacts of climate change across Alberta, across western North America. The further north you are, the greater that change is," she said. "Warmer air means it can hold more moisture, which leads to its ability to have bigger thunderstorms and bigger extremes for severe weather."
CBC
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Edmonton area hit by 2nd-strongest winds on record in Thursday storm
A powerful thunderstorm swept through Edmonton Thursday night, prompting an emergency warning before the area was hit by the strongest wind gusts in nearly 60 years. Winds in the region reached up to 129 km/h, which marks the second-strongest gusts ever recorded in the city, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). "We're expecting wind gusts of, generally speaking, 90 km/h, maybe 100 km/h out of those [thunderstorms]," said Alysa Pederson, an warning preparedness meteorologist for the agency. ECCC said the storm developed from a strong low-pressure system and cold front, which is typical of Alberta's summer thunderstorm season. But this event was more intense than usual, prompting a rare "broadcast intrusive" alert, reserved for only the most severe conditions, Pederson said. The storm moved in fast, hitting the Edmonton International Airport around 7:15 p.m. MT Thursday, causing structural damage to a few buildings and the windows of vehicles in several lots. "It was a quick one. It came through here in about four minutes from start to finish," said Erin Isfeld, the Edmonton International Airport's manager of corporate communications. "We really came through this pretty much unscathed, when you think about damage to structures and vehicles; that kind of thing can be replaced or fixed. What we're really happy about is that no one was injured." she said. Airport officials had a few minutes' warning before the storm struck and moved quickly to protect staff and travelers. The airport closed its departure-level ramp in case of flying debris, and personnel ushered people into the terminal to ensure their safety, Isfeld said. Four flights were diverted to Calgary, and the airport experienced a short ground delay. Operations resumed within an hour. Airport staff knew the storm was coming, Isfeld said, "but I'm not too sure anybody really anticipated winds of 129 km/h." "We haven't seen winds here at Edmonton International like that for the last 60 years," she said. "So [it's] a very rare event to happen here." Pederson, of ECCC, said Edmonton last experienced stronger winds on Oct. 1, 1965, when gusts reached 146 km/h. The storm caused damage across several Edmonton neighbourhoods and surrounding areas. Trees were uprooted or snapped, and debris damaged some homes, fences, vehicles and power lines. Kolton Canning, an arbourist and owner of Trusty Tree Services, said his business' phones haven't stopped ringing. "We are struggling to keep up and we have a very specialized team and system to deal with this," he said. His crews are removing a massive fallen trees, including a 21-metre pine that crashed onto a home, he said. They're dealing with a variety of trees, but a lot of pines and spruce fell on cars, sheds, houses and fences, he said, adding that areas like Brookside, Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan were hit particularly hard. In the aftermath, EPCOR reported four power outages affecting 37 customers in various parts of Edmonton, but crews restored power by the end of the night. "While our electrical system is designed to handle a wide variety of conditions, outages do occur for a variety of reasons, including high winds and storms," EPCOR said in a statement. Residents are urged not to approach downed power lines or branches tangled in electrical wires. Instead, they should stay 10 metres back and report it to 911 or the utility company, EPCOR said. "We will send a crew with proper safety equipment to remove the object and repair any damage," the company said. Pederson, from ECCC, noted that climate change could cause more events like this. "We are seeing impacts of climate change across Alberta, across western North America. The further north you are, the greater that change is," she said.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Regina, Moose Jaw under air quality advisory as wildfire smoke spreads throughout Sask.
Smoky conditions in Regina are seen in this file photo. (David Prisciak/CTV News) A large portion of southern Saskatchewan is under a special air quality statement Friday afternoon, as smoke from wildfires creeps south. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued the alert at 12:20 p.m. Friday, noting the smoke from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan and northern Alberta is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility. Affected areas under the statement as of Friday afternoon include Regina, Moose Jaw and surrounding areas. An advisory was issued for northern and central Saskatchewan earlier in the day Friday. Air quality A special air quality statement was issued for a large portion of southern Saskatchewan on Friday. (Photo source: Environment and Climate Change Canada) The weather agency advises people to limit time outdoors and consider rescheduling or reducing outdoor activities. When inside, ECCC advises people to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible and prioritize keeping the space cool. If people must spend time outside, ECCC says a properly worn respirator type mask can reduce exposure. However, there can still be health risks. Common symptoms of wildfire exposure may include eye, nose, and throat irritations, as well as headaches or a mild cough, with more serious symptoms including wheezing, chest pains, or a severe cough. People are asked to call HealthLine 811 if they need advice on health risks. As of 1 p.m. on Friday, Regina's air quality index was listed at a seven, which ECCC lists as a 'high risk.'
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Colleen Bready's forecast: Dry conditions continue throughout Manitoba
Colleen Bready has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for May 29, 2025. Hot, dry conditions persist in Manitoba on Thursday, offering no help to combat wildfires burning in several parts of the province. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said these conditions sent mass amounts of smoke into northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the last few days, which is expected to continue for the rest of the week. Temperatures across most of Manitoba will climb into the upper 20s or low 30s on Thursday afternoon. ECCC has continued an air quality warning for parts of west-central, northwestern and southeastern Manitoba on Thursday. Relatively light winds will keep smoke lingering near the source regions of the fires. Meanwhile, a large portion of north and central Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, including Kenora, remains under a special air quality statement. ECCC said a cold front that moved through northern regions Wednesday night shifted winds and sent smoke to the southeast into central Manitoba. Most southern regions, including Winnipeg and Brandon, are not under either alert, but hazy conditions are possible Thursday afternoon and evening. There will be no relief from the heat on Friday, with the south forecast to reach highs around 30 C. Temperatures in the north will also heat up into the mid- to upper 20s. However, some much-needed precipitation is on the way to some northern communities near wildfires on Friday night, including Lynn Lake. These showers are not expected to reach other wildfire areas near Flin Flon, Cross Lake, or in the southeast. The next chance of showers in the south is on Monday.
