Current:Home > MyRain may soon help put out flames in Canada's worst recorded wildfire season -BrightFuture Investments
Rain may soon help put out flames in Canada's worst recorded wildfire season
View
Date:2025-04-18 14:21:51
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! (32922)
Related
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Officer’s bail revoked in shooting death of driver after prosecutors lodge constitutional challenge
- Chelsea Clinton hopes new donations and ideas can help women and girls face increasing challenges
- Band director shocked with stun gun, arrested after refusing to stop performance, police say
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- Nigeria’s opposition candidate appeals election verdict, asks court to declare him winner instead
- Electrifying a Fraction of Vehicles in the Lower Great Lakes Could Save Thousands of Lives Annually, Studies Suggest
- 'Slap in the face': West Maui set to reopen for tourism, with outrage from residents
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- A man accused in a child rape case was arrested weeks after he faked his own death, sheriff says
Ranking
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- North Carolina House approves election board takeover ahead of 2024
- What to know about Taylor Swift's '1989 (Taylor's Version),' from release to bonus songs
- Nick Chubb injury: Latest updates on Browns star, who will miss rest of NFL season
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Explosion in Union Pacific’s massive railyard in Nebraska appears accidental, investigators say
- Taco Bell employee accused of using customer credit cards to make fraudulent purchases
- Sacramento prosecutor sues California’s capital city over failure to clean up homeless encampments
Recommendation
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
Taurine makes energy drinks more desirable. But is it safe?
California law restricting companies’ use of information from kids online is halted by federal judge
Why Demi Lovato Feels the Most Confident When She's Having Sex
The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
New features in iOS 17 that can help keep you safe: What to know
Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh agrees to plead guilty to nearly two dozen federal crimes
'Hello, humans': Meet Aura, the Las Vegas Sphere's humanoid robots designed to help guests