Latest news with #StevenFlisfeder
CBC
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Smoke blankets Alberta as fight against western wildfires continues
Social Sharing Smoke from wildfires burning across Alberta has blanketed much of the province, including the Edmonton region. Edmontonians woke up to worsening air quality — the distinct smell of burning wood and morning skies cloaked in an orange haze. Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for the city and surrounding regions, while air quality warnings remain in effect for a swath of communities across the northern portion of the province. Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke could fluctuate from hour to hour and as smoke levels increase, so do the health risks, Environment Canada cautioned. As of Tuesday morning, the Air Quality Health Index for the Edmonton region was rated at 10+, meaning that residents are at a very high risk from the current levels of air pollution. Environment Canada is urging people to limit their time outside and to monitor themselves for symptoms of prolonged exposure, including difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. Environment Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said that from B.C. to Quebec, Canadians could likely see and smell wildfire smoke. "We're seeing smoke present almost everywhere," Flisfeder said. "When we look at satellite imagery, we can see the presence of smoke stemming from these wildfires making their way across the Atlantic toward the U.K. and parts of Europe." He said the haze isn't dangerous when it remains in the Earth's upper atmosphere but when it descends, it becomes a health risk. Flisfeder added that winds are expected to shift in the coming days. A scorching season Smoke is drifting in from the northwest from fires burning in northern Alberta as well as northeastern B.C. Western Canada has faced a volatile start to wildfire season with explosive fire conditions and expanding evacuation orders straining emergency resources across the west. Between 10,000 and 15,000 remain under evacuation in Saskatchewan and another 21,000 have been forced from their homes in Manitoba, one of the largest evacuations in the province's history. Close to 3,000 Albertans remain on evacuation orders. On the front lines of the wildfire fight 6 hours ago Duration 2:45 A helicopter pilot, heavy machinery operator and railway worker talk about what they're doing on the front lines of the battle against wildfires in Manitoba. As of Tuesday morning, 65 wildfires were raging across the province, 24 of which are burning out of control. Seven of the fires are considered an imminent threat to critical infrastructure or communities. Among them is a blaze along the Alberta-B.C. border, which has grown relentlessly for days, triggering a string of evacuation orders. The blaze, known as the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, continues to burn out of control since crossing the border into Alberta. The fire flared dangerously over the weekend, forcing an evacuation of Kelly Lake in northeast B.C., and destroying several structures within the remote community. Aggressive fire behaviour Sunday afternoon prompted the County of Grande Prairie to issue an expanded evacuation order and alert. The fire grew significantly overnight Sunday, in what wildfire officials described as a stern warning about the continued risk to surrounding communities. The fire grew rapidly Monday and now covers 21,679 hectares. Drier fuels and poor overnight humidity recovery are expected to fuel the fire, especially in exposed areas and spruce stands. The wildfire continues to progress toward containment lines along the north side, officials said. Red Earth East Complex A complex of fires, known as the Red Earth East Complex, continues to threaten a cluster of remote northern Alberta communities. Residents of Peerless Lake, Trout Lake, Red Earth Creek and Loon River First Nation remain under evacuation, while around 100 residents of nearby Chipewyan Lake are assessing their losses after nearly half of the structures in the community burned. A wall of flames moved in on the community two weeks ago, temporarily trapping a firefighting crew on scene overnight as homes along with the community's health centre, church and water treatment plant were incinerated by the flames. The Sousa Creek fire forced residents of Chateh to flee last week. It's unclear when it will be safe to return to the town about 850 kilometres north of Edmonton. The fire remains five kilometres south of of Chateh and 72 kilometres west of the Town of High Level. It has now consumed more than 41,200 hectares of forest. Crews battling the fire have faced high winds and parched conditions which have threatened to push the fire toward the community. Firefighters and heavy equipment crews have been working to contain the fire along the north and northeastern perimeter near Sousa Creek. Shifting winds and soft wet soil deep in the bush has hampered those efforts, officials said. A smattering of rain showers were expected to fall on northern Alberta Monday but after weeks of hot, dry weather, conditions remain parched. Officials caution that the fire danger remains extreme, meaning the risk of fast-growing, volatile fires across the Alberta landscape remains dangerously high.
Hamilton Spectator
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario getting a sunny and warm weekend for Mother's Day — but don't forget about the UV index
The sunbeams will be out in full force this Mother's Day weekend, as Environment and Climate Change Canada predicts a delightful few days ahead. 'It's looking like a sunny, fairly warm weekend all around,' meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said. For the rest of the day today, May 9, temperatures will be in the mid-teens across southern Ontario. 'Areas near the lakeshores like Huron, Erie, Ontario and Georgian Bay, the closer you are to the shore you may see a decline in temperature just because of the effect of the cooler waters,' he said. Generally speaking, it should be around 10 to 15 C today. However, those living in the extreme east near the Quebec border may see some scattered shower activity today. 'It will be on and off, not looking at too much accumulation. It will be spotty showers throughout the day. But it will be cloud free throughout the rest of the weekend.' Saturday and Sunday are both expected to be gorgeous spring days. 'You may see a few clouds, but that sun is going to be shining pretty much across all of southern Ontario,' Flisfeder said. 'Temperatures are going to be on the warmer side, as well.' Saturday will be the warmer of the two days, with most areas seeing temperatures in the low to mid-20s. Sunday will be a bit cooler, but temperatures will still remain in the teens with sunny skies. 'Overall, it will be pleasant weather, and nothing in terms of precipitation.' While sunscreen may not be on anyone's radar just yet, the sun is actually getting higher in the sky and ultraviolet (UV) rays are getting stronger. And they are going to be high throughout all of Ontario this weekend. 'It's going to be important if you're spending any time outside to pay attention to keeping your skin as protected as you can. So sunscreen, sunglasses, hat — whatever you can think of to protect while you're enjoying the outdoors.' As we work our way through May, the sun's rays are going to get stronger as we approach the summer solstice, Flisfeder said. 'As we have more daylight hours, the sun is getting toward its peak.' Environment Canada does list a UV index, but it's based on the closest city to you. To see what the UV index is, visit , scroll to the list and click on the city closest to your location. Heading into Monday, May 12, it will still be sunny and warm, with possibility of some clouds rolling in overnight into Tuesday morning. With more than a week until the Victoria Day weekend, Monday, May 19 was still too distant for Flisfeder to make any reliable long weekend predictions. But he did say it looks like there may be some clouds overhead. 'People joke that it always rains on a long weekend. And right now, it's probably true. Parts of Ontario have a 50 per cent chance,' Flisfeder said. He said variable conditions are expected for the long weekend, with possible showers on Friday, May 16. That should clear on Saturday, but not for long, as more precipitation could be on the way for Sunday, May 18. 'Conditions can and will change, so that's an early peek at what could be there,' he said. To stay up to date on the weather near you, visit , or download the WeatherCAN app for your smartphone.
CBC
16-02-2025
- Climate
- CBC
London braces for long weekend snowfall
Londoners should plan ahead for any Family Day travel as Environment Canada forecasters expect a cold and snowy long weekend. The end of a low pressure system from Texas that hit London earlier this week brought snow on Saturday, and another incoming system will bring even more snowfall Sunday, said meteorologist Steven Flisfeder. Between 5 cm and 15 cm of snow is expected across the region, with a risk of freezing rain in southern parts of the area. "The main threat will be the snow," said Flisfeder. While there will be some light flurries overnight Sunday into Monday morning, Flisfeder said Family Day is expected to be clear. But that lack of snow will mean something else: frigid temperatures on Monday. While Saturday and Sunday are both predicted to have lows of -10 C, it'll feel like -25 C with the windchill on Monday. "If you're spending the Family Day holiday outside doing any kind of winter activities, you're definitely going to want to bundle up," Flisfeder said. He is reminding drivers heading out this long weekend to give themselves extra time on the roads, keep a safe distance between cars and watch out for pedestrians. "There could be some portions of the weekend where the snowfall is a little bit heavier than other times, so visibility is always going to be an issue on the road," he said.
