Latest news with #EnvironmentandClimateChangeCanada
Global News
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Global News
As Canada's wildfires rage, where is the smoke drifting?
With more than 200 active wildfires across Canada, the smoke from the blazes is spreading, even drifting south to cloud over multiple U.S. states. Air quality alerts stretch from Alberta to parts of northern Ontario, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, while Minnesota and Michigan are seeing air quality levels that can be classified as 'hazardous' and others deemed 'very unhealthy.' According to weather alerts by Environment Canada, various Ontario communities are expected to see poor air quality and reduced visibility with wildfire smoke remaining in place for potentially several days in some areas. Several warnings are in effect for northwest Alberta and central Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while air quality statements are in place for northeast B.C., east central Alberta and Saskatchewan, and small parts of Manitoba. Story continues below advertisement Northern U.S. states dealing with smoke The upper U.S. Midwest has been seeing the majority of impacts from wildfire smoke, with Minnesota on Monday advising air quality would enter the unhealthy category in the east central, southeast and northeast parts of the state, with its alert in place until Wednesday. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'A band of very heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to move southeast across Minnesota and has reached south central and northeast Minnesota Tuesday morning,' a news release from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency stated. The agency warned east central, southeast and northeast Minnesota would see fine particle levels reach the red 'unhealthy' air quality index category, with the Twin Cities among the communities being urged to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors. Western, central and north-central parts would see the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Story continues below advertisement 4:17 Ask the Expert: Health risks associated with increased wildfires However, IQAir, which tracks the air quality index, shows communities like Ely, Minn. and Houghton, Mich. are already seeing levels in the 'hazardous' threshold. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has also recommended people limit time outdoors until at least Tuesday, noting multiple air quality advisories have been put in place due to Canadian wildfire smoke. The agency said smoke would be moving northwest to southeast throughout Tuesday, with its advisory expected to extend to the full state later in the day. Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services issued a smoke advisory for the eastern part of the state, warning smoke associated with wildfires in Canada may affect air quality with parts of the state potentially seeing unhealthy air later in the day. According to BlueSky's forecast, the smoke from Canada's wildfires is expected to continue to drift southeast and could reach Iowa and Nebraska.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
More hot, dry weather forecast as Canada battles wildfires
Canadian officials are warning of tough days ahead for fighting growing wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba with hot and dry weather in the weekend forecast. The wildfires have forced thousands to evacuate in the two prairie provinces, with both this week declaring states of emergency. Smoke from the fires has triggered air quality alerts in Canada and as far as Chicago, where forecasters say the smell of smoke will be noticeable by Friday evening. There are also air quality advisories in place in parts of the US Upper Midwest, including Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. "Conditions maybe unhealthy for sensitive groups and there is a possibility that hourly levels could reach the unhealthy range for a short period of time," the state of Michigan said on Friday. The advisories in Michigan and Wisconsin are currently in place through Saturday morning. Residents in northern Minnesota have been warned smoke could reach levels "unhealthy for everyone", with the rest of the state facing air quality that could effect those in sensitive groups. That alert runs through Monday evening. There are 15 wildfires burning in Saskatchewan as of Friday, with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) classifying conditions in the province as extreme. Seven of those fires are not contained, according to data from the province. In Manitoba, there is a total of 22 fires burning, according to the province's fire situation report, with four classified as out of control. Thousands of people from 16 communities had been forced to evacuate in Saskatchewan this week as a result of the fires. Similar evacuations took place in Manitoba, affecting 17,000 people. All residents of Flin Flon, Manitoba, a community of about 5,000, have been told to leave by midday on Friday due to a large blaze threatening the town. Danielle Desjardins, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada based in Winnipeg, told the BBC that the forecast for both provinces does not spell relief any time soon, with hot and dry conditions expected to continue into the weekend. A cold front is expected to hit some parts of Saskatchewan, bringing with it some rain, but its current forecasted path narrowly misses the regions where the fires are burning. "The bad news about this cold front is it's going to be windy," said Ms Desjardins, adding that the wind, coupled with the heat and lack of rain, are prime conditions for wildfire spread. She said Saskatchewan has been "extremely dry" since March, and is experiencing abnormally warm weather for May that has pushed temperatures to above 30C (86F). She added that anecdotally, "it's one of the worst (wildfire seasons) in recent years for Saskatchewan". How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods There is also concern smoke from Canada's fires could affect the G7, being held in mid-June in Alberta. Fires are currently burning in the northern part of the province. Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, when over 42 million acres (17.3m hectares) burned - an area larger than all of England - and more than double the previous record. Smoke from those wildfires blanketed cities south of Canada's border into the US, including New York City. But the 2023 fires were more acutely felt in Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. This year, it is Saskatchewan and Manitoba that are seeing the largest fires to date. Fires happen naturally in many parts of the world. It is difficult to know if climate change has caused or worsened a specific wildfire because other factors are also relevant, such as changes to the way land is used. But climate change is making the weather conditions needed for wildfires to spread more likely, the IPCC, the UN's climate body, says.
Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Climate
- Calgary Herald
Hotter, drier than average summer forecast for Alberta, says Environment Canada meteorologist
Albertans can expect a hotter, drier than normal summer, according to an Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist. Article content Article content Alysa Pederson said Wednesday it's likely that temperatures in the Calgary area, and across the province, will be above normal this June, July and August. Article content The average temperature in Calgary is projected to be 19.7 C in June, 23.5 C in July and 23.1 C in August. Article content Article content Most of the country is looking at above-average temperatures this summer, continuing a climate-change-induced warming trend Canada has seen over the past three decades that's faster than the global rate, she said. Article content 'I don't remember the last time I said a seasonal forecast wasn't going to be above normal just because of that comparison to the last 30 years,' said Pederson. Article content As for precipitation, southern Alberta is predicted to be drier than normal this summer. Article content 'That is the signal that I've been seeing, and it's a signal in consecutive model runs over the last two months,' said Pederson. Article content Article content It's looking like there will be more days like Wednesday, with heat and clear skies, and followed by a storm day, which is expected on Thursday, she said. Article content Article content East of the Rockies, thunderstorms can be expected during the summer, affecting the agency's confidence in its temperatures and precipitation forecast, said Pederson. Article content 'The Rocky Mountains really impact how much precipitation you get across southern Alberta and what the temperature regimes are like.' Article content Over the winter, Calgary, the foothills and southwestern Alberta were 'super dry,' with Banff having its driest winter on record, she said. Article content Preliminary spring data show around normal to just below normal amounts of precipitation in the Calgary area, but central Alberta experienced a 'decent' amount of precipitation this spring.
Global News
6 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
Temperatures forecast to soar across Alberta as much of province under heat warnings
Consider rescheduling outdoor activities, take frequent breaks if you can't, drink plenty of water and keep an eye on children, seniors and pets for any signs of heat stroke or exhaustion. That's some of the advice that Environment and Climate Change Canada is offering to Albertans as temperatures across the province are expected to sizzle over the next few days. The hot weather has prompted the national weather agency to issue a heat warning for most of Alberta, with the exception of the Rocky Mountains and the extreme southern part of the province. View image in full screen Temperatures across Alberta are forecast to be in the high 20s C on Wednesday and into the low 30s C in many areas on Thursday. Global News Daytime highs are forecast to be around 30 C on Wednesday and Thursday — that's about 10 C above normal for this time of year — before cooling off slightly on Friday, but increasing again on Saturday. Story continues below advertisement Overnight lows are also forecast to be about 10 degrees above normal — dropping to 17 C overnight in Edmonton and 14 C overnight in Calgary. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Environment Canada said heat warnings are issued when very high temperature conditions are expected to pose an elevated risk of heat illnesses. The soaring temperatures are also increasing the wildfire danger. Less than a week after a fire advisory was lifted for west Rocky View County, on Wednesday morning the county again put a ban in place, with certain exceptions. Details on all the burning bans and restrictions in place across Alberta are available online at View image in full screen The fire danger is considered 'extreme' across much of Alberta, according to Natural Resources Canada. Natural Resources Canada There are currently three 'wildfires of note' burning in Alberta, including the Edith Lake fire that is burning about eight kilometres north of the town of Swan Hills and has forced the evacuation of 1,200 area residents. Story continues below advertisement Details on wildfires currently burning in Alberta are also available online at
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Demand for respirators, sprinklers on the rise in Manitoba as wildfires worsen air quality
As wildfires are ravaging the province, they are also impacting the air Manitobans breathe, and some are looking for ways to protect themselves. Ian Birchall, a sales representative at ABC Fire and Safety Equipment Ltd., which sells fire, safety and first aid products in Winnipeg, says demand for their respirators has increased significantly since the wildfire season began in earnest earlier this month. "We've sold pretty much out of all of our wildland [fire] equipment just due to the nature of the fires that are going on here in Manitoba. It's a very scary situation for our residents in Manitoba," he said. Items like respirators have been in high demand, he said. "Especially with the smoke that is going on in the province when they are in the smoke-filled areas like Lac du Bonnet or up north in Lynn Lake, they are using that quite a bit right now," says Birchall showing a range of masks in his shop. Birchall says people are not just worried about their health, but also their property, leading to increased demand for fire suppression equipment, sprinkler kits and hoses. "We have been seeing a lot of cabin owners coming and purchasing the Wildfire Protection Kit, which is otherwise usually used by fire departments," he said. That kit is a sprinkler system, with equipment that can be mounted on a cabin's gable and eavestrough, to provide "360 degrees of protection around your property," he said. "Usually every year the residents will stock up on PPE [personal protective equipment] for wildland fires for protection," said Birchall. "This year has obviously been an exception because it's been very dry in the province. So we have noticed a significant increase in our sales with this equipment." Birchall says he's been getting a lot of inquiries from cabin owners from the Bird River area, where a still out-of-control wildfire now covers more than 124,000 hectares, according to the province's latest fire report. The fire near Lac du Bonnet, meanwhile, is now considered under control. That fire became deadly earlier this month, taking the lives of a couple who reportedly got trapped at a family home. Smoke from wildfires is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility in parts of Manitoba, prompting air quality alerts from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Shelley says a lot of the northern portion of the province is under special air quality state statements, while an area in the southeast, from the Ontario border to Lake Winnipeg, is under air quality warnings. Shelly urges people to check the air quality index before heading outdoors. On Tuesday, the index was four in Winnipeg, indicating moderate risk, while it was 10+ in Flin Flon, indicating very high risk. When the air quality is at its worst, people should take precautions and limit outdoor exposure, said Shelly. "Consider reducing or rescheduling any strenuous outdoor activities, especially if you are experiencing symptoms like a cough or dizziness or nausea," he said. "And you also want to monitor those who might be more at risk, so especially maybe elderly people or … younger people." Warm and dry conditions are expected through this week, which will cause smoke to linger, Shelly said. WATCH | Smoke raises health concerns in Manitoba: Health experts also warn wildfire smoke can create health risks in both the short and long term. Christopher Pascoe, an associate professor in the University of Manitoba's physiology and pathophysiology department, says short-term effects may include breathlessness. "So difficulty breathing, catching your breath and you may notice that you cough more, have more mucus. If you're somebody who has lung disease, asthma, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], you may find that you need to use your medication more and that it's not as effective." He adds people often report needing to go to the hospital more frequently to deal with conditions like asthma or COPD during periods of poor air quality. The potential long-term effects of poor air quality can include worsening of conditions and lung disease, he said. "That long-term exposure is related to these health complications like asthma, exacerbation of other diseases," said Pascoe. "The biggest pollutant that we worry about at this point is something called particulate matter," he said. "That's the smoke or the ash in the air. And so when you see outside … it's hazy, you kind of want to stay inside, being a well-ventilated space." When it comes to protection, he says for people who have allergies or asthma, or are prone to health risks, "the best thing to do is limit your time outside and wearing a well-fitting N95 mask to limit your exposure."
