Current:Home > MyRain may soon help put out flames in Canada's worst recorded wildfire season-LoTradeCoin
Rain may soon help put out flames in Canada's worst recorded wildfire season
lotradecoin API integration guide View Date:2024-12-25 12:31:32
Rain in the forecast could soon offer some respite for those in eastern Canada dealing with wildfires by helping firefighters quench the flames and clearing some of the particles that are making the air smoky and hazardous.
The question for Gerald Cheng, the warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, is whether the rain will be enough. In a media availability on Saturday morning, he said rainfall is expected in southwest Quebec on Sunday night, whereas fires further north in Quebec aren't set to see rain until Tuesday.
It'll be about 10 to 20 millimeters — less than an inch — of water. The impact it will have on the fires will depend on the size of the blaze, which could grow before the rain.
However, with the rain comes the possibility of lightning sparking more fires.
A return to poorer air quality is always a possibility, Cheng said. The thick orange haze that dominated New York City on Wednesday is caused by a high concentration of fine particles. The key factors for the intensity of these toxic particulates are the severity of the wildfire producing them and wind, which can help disperse them.
Smoke is still moving south into the United States, he said, and winds will drive smoke into northeast Ontario on Monday.
On Friday night, the Alberta Emergency Alert system instructed some residents of Yellowhead County and the town of Edson to evacuate, describing the fires as "becoming increasingly unpredictable."
Rain is also forecast for Alberta on Sunday.
As of Saturday afternoon, the government of Alberta reported 75 active wildfires in the province. Quebec's government says it has 133 active forest fires, 72 of which are considered out of control.
Canada's fire season extends from May through October, but these fires are abnormally prolific for this time of year. The country is on track to have its worst wildfire season on record, according to the U.S. National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. Quebec has reported 446 fires this year. Over the last 10 years, the average number of fires for this same date is 212.
"The images that we have seen so far this season are some of the most severe we have ever witnessed in Canada," Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said in a press conference earlier in June. "The current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity."
Firefighters from the U.S., France, Spain and Portugal have agreed to join the effort to control Canada's wildfires.
veryGood! (11553)
Related
- Luigi Mangione's Lawyer Speaks Out in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case
- Columnist accusing Trump of sex assault faces cross-examination in a New York courtroom
- Spidermen narcos use ropes in Ecuador's biggest port to hide drugs on ships bound for the U.S. and Europe
- Elise Stefanik, GOP congresswoman and possible Trump VP pick, to hit trail with Trump 2024 campaign in New Hampshire
- Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death and fled to Eastern Europe is in custody, online records show
- Belarus rights group calls on UN to push for proper treatment of cancer-stricken opposition prisoner
- Mississippi has the highest rate of preventable deaths in the US, health official says
- Can the deadliest cat in the world be this tiny and cute? Watch as Gaia, the black-footed cat, greets Utah
- 'The Voice' Season 26 finale: Coach Michael Bublé scores victory with Sofronio Vasquez
- Can AI detect skin cancer? FDA authorizes use of device to help doctors identify suspicious moles.
Ranking
- The brewing recovery in Western North Carolina
- Dana Carvey reflects on son Dex Carvey's death: 'You just want to make sure you keep moving'
- ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Poor Things’ lead the race for Britain’s BAFTA film awards
- Taraji P. Henson Slams Rumors of a Feud With Oprah Winfrey Over The Color Purple
- Stock market today: Asian stocks are mixed ahead of key US inflation data
- 14 workers hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning at Yale building under construction
- A whiskey collector paid a record-setting $2.8 million for a rare bottle of Irish whiskey
- Pennsylvania can’t stop young adults from openly carrying guns during emergencies, US court rules
Recommendation
-
'The Later Daters': Cast, how to stream new Michelle Obama
-
Over 580,000 beds are under recall because they can break or collapse during use
-
West Virginia advances bill to add photos to all SNAP cards, despite enforcement concerns
-
The Best Vegan Boots for Comfort & Style, Backed by Glowing Reviews
-
Oregon lawmakers to hold special session on emergency wildfire funding
-
This week on Sunday Morning (January 21)
-
I’m a Croc Hater–But These Viral TikTok Croc Boots & More New Styles Are Making Me Reconsider
-
NATO to start biggest wargames in decades next week, involving around 90,000 personnel