Extreme wildfire danger: Is there any relief in sight for Alberta?
It's the very start of the season, but already dozens of wildfires are burning in Alberta, with a spell of extremely hot and dry early May weather. Will conditions improve in the coming days?
A sudden summer on the Prairies has seen temperatures soar into the mid to high 20s this week, with some places even hitting the 30-degree mark to start May.
A strong upper ridge that has remain locked in place is what's bringing the early mid-summer-like heat heave, with a large portion of Alberta seeing record breaking temperatures on Wednesday once again.
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While enjoyable for those who have awaited some consistent spring warmth, the hot temperatures and dry conditions have lead to a quick start to the Alberta wildfire season this year. With over 50 active wildfires currently burning, residents are already anxious for what lies ahead.
There are 4 weather variables that affect wildfires: temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation.
"There is some light at the end of the tunnel," says Nadine Powell, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. "From the weekend and onwards temperatures are dropping back down closer to seasonal values, with relative humidity increasing."
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There is also the chance for some periods of scattered showers, which will help with the fire danger rating, though unfortunately, it isn't completely widespread and won't be a drenching rain.
Beneficial rains are also expected to spread across the southern Prairies next week, a pattern that will provide some significant relief for the wildfire risk. Winds will be quite variable this weekend and next week, with some calm days, but also a few windy days as well.
"All in all, the weather will improve the wildfire danger next week," Powell says. "It won't reduce the entire risk, as there would need to be widespread persistent light to moderate rain for an extended period of time for that to happen."
