Latest news with #FireWeather
Winnipeg Free Press
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Welcome to fire weather: there's more on the way
Opinion Last year I attended a talk given by author John Vaillant whose award-winning book Fire Weather documented the intense climate-driven wildfires that decimated the Alberta town of Fort McMurray. During his lecture, Vaillant made the ominous prediction that what happened there could easily happen again, in almost any given city in on the planet. Vancouver narrowly dodged the fire bullet just last year when buildings in two city neighbourhoods caught fire. According to Vaillant, the flames were so intense and spread so quickly that had the wind been just 10 knots higher, a significant portion of the city would have burned. Photo courtesy Manitoba Government A wildland fire burns in the RM of Lac du Bonnet on May 14. Then there were the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, which decimated more than 18,000 homes and burned through more than 23,000 hectares, leaving an estimated US$250 billion in damages. So, the question is — could the same thing happen in Winnipeg? Based on the recent Transcona grass fire which threatened both homes and businesses, it could indeed happen here. Thirty fire crews battled in the heat and high winds for hours before finally containing it. Had a nearby chemical plant gone up in smoke, who knows what might have happened? And Transcona isn't alone. As of May 14, a number of Manitoba towns like Libau were perched precariously on the edge of wildfires, evacuation orders had already been issued for Broken Head Ojibway Nation, and two people trapped by the wildfires at Lac du Bonnet had lost their lives. In addition to that, Nopiming provincial park was closed due to out of control wildfires, as was the Whiteshell. At Ingolf's Long Pine Lake, which borders the Whiteshell, water bombers, helicopter 'air tankers' and firefighters were still struggling after three days to contain a wildfire that exploded then raced across 23,000 hectares, 43 kilometres to the north, prompting evacuation warnings across the region. It was with the announcement of the Ingolf fire on May 12 that the ominous but still somehow abstract idea of 'climate-driven wildfires' suddenly hit home for me. Long Pine is where my grandfather, a railway machinist, started building his log cabin in 1919, and where my parents built ours in the early fifties. At the moment I have no idea whether either cottage is still standing. The circumstances that caused the Ingolf fire to explode with such intensity were not unlike those in Fort McMurray — temperatures in the mid 30 C. range, extremely dry conditions and a relative humidity below 18 per cent. This when the May average is usually 19 C with a relative humidity of 48 per cent. This month's unusually hot, dry conditions are what create the perfect storm for bigger more intense wildfires that rapidly increase in size. Climate-warmed blazes that are a nightmare for firefighters, who are hard pressed to get boots on the ground, because the combined heat makes the conditions almost impossible to withstand. And if the carbon emissions driving climate change and global warming remain largely unchecked, those conditions are predicted to become the norm in Manitoba. Which means that our fire season will start earlier, the wildfires will be bigger and more intense, and the loss of life and property will likely escalate. To make matters worse, as vast tracts of forest burn, global CO2 levels will rise even higher. So what can we do to mitigate this? Well, the first thing our government should definitely not do is sell off so-called 'surplus' water bomber planes, as did the previous provincial conservative government. Then we need to ensure that the province adopts a multitiered approach to firefighting, which begins with a clear and achievable plan to reduce the emissions that are driving bigger more intense forest fires. Next up, the province and city need to look at ways to increase our resiliency by discouraging residential expansion near fire-prone forests and grasslands as well as setting higher standards for building codes that feature better fire resistant designs and materials. Even more obvious the province needs to beef up its firefighting and fire prevention capacity on all levels which may have finally begun with the recent repurchase of three new water bombers. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Other good ideas — assign someone to keep the province's fire tracking and alert websites up to date and create a climate resiliency portal where Manitobans can learn about and plan for the climate risks in their areas. Finally, developing recovery plans before fires hit and implementing those plans quickly is also key. In the meantime, all of us need to remember that the fires we're seeing now could happen anywhere given the right conditions. So let's ensure that our governments are protecting us by being as well prepared as possible. Erna Buffie is a writer and environmental activist. Read more @
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NWS upgrade Fire Weather Watch to Red Flag Warining in Northern California
( — The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Northern and Central Sacramento Valley on Thursday, but has since been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. The warning will go into effect Sunday at 8 a.m. and expected to last until Monday 8 p.m. According to Chief Meteorologist Adam Epstein, the recent warm weather has dried out vegetation below 1000 feet in elevation. Grasses have become fuel for fires. If a fire starts, windy conditions on Sunday and Monday could quickly spread the flames. Cal Fire released a statement stating these conditions mean critical fire weather. NWS stated the humidity level will be between 15 to 25 percent, with the highest threat set to be in Central and Southern Sacramento Valley, along and west of the I-5 corridor, and the Northern San Joaquin Valley. NWS shares some Fire Weather safety: Proper disposal of cigarettes and matches Avoid power equipment that creates sparks Make sure no vehicle parts drag on growing, including towing chains Do not park your vehicle over dry grass and vegetation Starting next week, the Sacramento region can expect to experience consistent 90-degree high temperatures, according to the NWS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Weather Service issues a Fire Weather Watch for Sacramento region
( — The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Northern and Central Sacramento Valley starting Sunday morning due to strong winds coming in from the north. The NWS stated that the watch will last until Monday at 8 p.m. According to Chief Meteorologist Adam Epstein, the recent warm weather has dried out vegetation below 1000 feet in elevation. Grasses have become fuel for fires. If a fire starts, windy conditions on Sunday and Monday could quickly spread the flames. Northerly gusts of 20-35 mph are forecast, with the strongest winds likely to occur on Monday. NWS officials said the Fire Weather Watch is being issued due to the combination of gusty winds and low humidity, which can cause fires to rapidly grow in size and intensity. Outdoor burning is not recommended while the Watch is in effect. NWS shares some Fire Weather safety: Proper disposal of cigarettes and matches Avoid power equipment that creates sparks Make sure no vehicle parts drag on growing, including towing chains Do not park your vehicle over dry grass and vegetation Starting next week, the Sacramento region can expect to experience consistent 90-degree high temperatures, according to the NWS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Climate
- New York Post
Raging Minnesota wildfires destroy over 140 buildings, impact air quality
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. – Relentless wildfires have continued to rapidly grow across parts of northeastern Minnesota north of Lake Superior, destroying at least 144 homes and buildings, after days of unseasonably high temperatures and low humidity. Temperatures will finally cool Wednesday ahead of much-needed rain moving into the area Thursday. A trio of fires burning in St. Louis and Lake counties have scorched tens of thousands of acres, and evacuations remain in effect. Advertisement Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz activated the state's National Guard on Monday to help with fire suppression. Air quality alert issued due to wildfires The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended an Air Quality Alert for most of northeastern Minnesota through Wednesday. The Jenkins Creek fire has now engulfed more than 20,500 acres and remains uncontained. The fire had consumed an undetermined number of buildings as of Tuesday evening. The St. Louis County Sheriff said in a social media post that it was too active to determine an accurate number. 6 Smoke coming from the Camp House Fire near Brimson, Minn. on May 13, 2025. Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP Advertisement 6 A house in Minnesota surrounded by the wildfire. FOX News The Camp House Fire, also known as the Brimson Fire, jumped to nearly 15,000 acres. Local officials said that the fire has consumed 146 buildings and counting, mostly along Highway 44, which has been shut down in some places. That fire remains uncontained as well. A third fire in the area, the Munger Shaw Fire, also called the Three Lakes Fire, has burned 1,700 acres, according to the Sheriff's Office. Buildings have also been destroyed in the Munger Shaw Fire, but the sheriff said the number is undetermined. Fire Weather Warnings were posted for most of Minnesota outside of Minneapolis, as well as the eastern half of the Dakotas on Tuesday. Advertisement 6 Crews working to extinguish the Camp House fire. Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP Damaging winds likely Wednesday across northern Plains It will be a busy several days for western Minnesota and the northern Plains as wildfire relief will come in the form of severe weather and a flash flood threat. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the heat will depart Wednesday afternoon, as a strong upper-level disturbance emerges from the West. This disturbance will set the stage for a severe weather event across parts of the Midwest from late Thursday into Thursday night. 6 A helicopter dumping water on the Camp House Fire outside of Brimson. Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP Advertisement Severe storms are forecast to develop by Wednesday evening, bringing rain and strong wind gusts as the primary threat. The most meaningful rain will be to the west of the areas currently battling wildfires, but showers and thunderstorms will still bring some overall relief to the region. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 4 risk of severe thunderstorms for an area covering parts of the central Dakotas and into central Nebraska on Wednesday and Wednesday night. 6 This graphic shows the severe weather threat for Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Fox Weather 6 This graphic shows the expected rain for the Northern Tier through Friday, May 16, 2025. FOX Weather Flood threat expands into eastern Dakotas, Minnesota by Thursday The backside of the cold front that will bring severe storms will also provide much-needed rain to areas being scorched by wildfires, beginning Wednesday. A prolonged period of moderate rain is expected, but a corridor of heavier rain is expected to shift into eastern North Dakota and northern Minnesota by Thursday. NOAA's Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood threat covering Wednesday and Thursday for parts of North and South Dakota.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
80-acre fire spreads in Juneau County, dozens of homes evacuated
JUNEAU COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – A fast-growing wildfire, known as the Warthog Fire, has burned about 80 acres in Juneau County, Wisconsin, and forced the evacuation of about 40 homes in the Town of Kingston and the community of Mather. As of 5:30 p.m., parts of County Highway 173 have also been closed. According to a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the fire started in the Town of Cutler and has spread northeast into Kingston. Firefighters say it's burning through pine trees and dry marsh grass. So far, no injuries have been reported, but the cause of the fire is still unknown. Beyond the Forecast: What are 'Fire Weather Watches' and 'Red Flag Warnings'? Fire crews are working hard to slow the fire down, but it's too early to say when they will get it under control. Eleven fire trucks, six tractor plows, two planes, and two Blackhawk helicopters from the Wisconsin Army National Guard are being used to fight the flames. Local firefighters and police are also helping with evacuations. People in the area will be told by emergency workers if they need to leave. A command center has been set up at the DNR Tomah Ranger Station, and more resources are on the way. Officials say today's warm weather, low humidity, and strong winds made fire conditions especially dangerous. The DNR has stopped all outdoor burning in the area to help prevent more fires from starting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
