System – extremely rare for this time of year – likely to fuel fires that have already displaced tens of thousands of residents
Western Canada is bracing for a “heat dome” weather system that will push temperatures to new records over the weekend, and is likely to worsen wildfires that have alreadySeventy-five active wildfires burned in Alberta on Thursday, with 23 listed as out of control. In some areas, oil and gas production, which typically resists weather-induced shutdowns, was briefly shuttered.
A brief period of cool weather and rain helped tamp down some of the blazes, but officials will be watching carefully to see how winds interact with the hotter conditions. “Certainly the conditions we’ve seen in the last few days have helped a significant amount and we’ve seen low fire activity, which means we’ve been able to make [some] progress on those,” Tucker told reporters. “But a wind gust will have a significant impact on a wildfire and that’s what can turn one of those smaller new starts into a larger fire very quickly.
Berardelli said the climate of the region was now hotter than previous decades, meaning these rare events will become more likely in the coming years.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Australia behaved very badly’: Gusmao turns up heat for Timor gas dealTimor-Leste’s resistance hero says Australia can make amends for “exploiting” its smaller neighbour by backing a long sought-after pipeline to the country’s south coast.
Read more »
Diabetics fleeing Sudan struggle to keep their insulin safe in 40C heatWith makeshift coolbags and an endless quest for ice, refugees are desperately struggling to protect their precious medication – if they can access any at all
Read more »
Plans to abolish ‘feudal’ leasehold system in England and Wales droppedRow between Michael Gove and No 10 results in end of promise to scrap leaseholds
Read more »
‘It’s a failure of the system’: before Jordan Neely was killed, he was discardedThe young New Yorker, who lived with severe mental illness, was known to hospitals, police and social services. Why did the city fail him?
Read more »
Canada: images of felled ancient tree a ‘gut-punch’, old-growth experts sayShocking photos of chopped-down tree in western Canada highlights flaws in plan to protect forest from loggers, activists say
Read more »
Haaland and Kerr land FWA player of the year awards: football news – liveA busy weekend awaits as the Premier League title race continues to heat up. Join our writers
Read more »