Smoke rises from the southeast side of a wildfire being tackled by helicopters near Shining Bank, Alta., about 200 km west of Edmonton, on May 19, 2023. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire/Handout via Reuters)

Prairie Forecast Update: A few small tweaks

Update issued May 21, 2023, covering May 21-24, 2023

The weather models are continuing to do a good job with the short- to medium-range forecasts, but there have been a couple of small changes that have been slowly working into the forecast. Weak troughing off the West Coast is still forecasted to kick off the development of a leeside low in Alberta. This low


Smoke from active wildfires in Alberta’s north and west hangs over Calgary on May 16, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Hennel)

No respite expected for wildfire-hit Alberta

Forecasts call for fire conditions to worsen

Ottawa | Reuters — Abnormally hot and dry weather is set to return to Alberta on Thursday after a couple of cooler days helped calm wildfires that have forced thousands of evacuations in the province. Record-high temperatures and tinder-dry vegetation have led to an intense, early start to wildfire season in Western Canada this year.

Members of the Third Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) take part in wildfire prevention operations near Grande Prairie, Alta. on May 12, 2023. (Photo: MCpl, Cass Moon/Canadian Forces/Handout via Reuters)

Air quality deteriorates as wildfires rage in Western Canada

Evacuations continue in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan

Reuters — Calgary received a special weather alert on Tuesday, warning residents of poor air quality and reduced visibility as tinder-dry weather and shifting winds elevated the risk of spreading wildfires in Alberta’s north and west. As of Tuesday evening 89 wildfires are active in Alberta, with 25 out of control, according to the provincial


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair and Edmonton MP and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault are briefed by Canadian Forces Lt. Col. Ben Schmidt at CFB Edmonton on May 15, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Amber Bracken)

Little chance for rain on Alberta wildfires

Coming cold front more windy than rainy in nature, Environment Canada says

Ottawa | Reuters — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Alberta on Monday as raging wildfires prompted mass evacuations and reduced energy production in Canada’s main oil-producing province, where meteorologists expect virtually no rain for 10 days or so. In Edmonton, Trudeau received an update on firefighting efforts by Canadian soldiers sent to help provincial firefighting

S-CAP rollout getting mixed reviews

S-CAP rollout getting mixed reviews

Newly announced funding streams target beneficial management practices for climate resilience and environment: government

As the province rolls out program information about the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, reactions are mixed from Manitoba commodity groups. On April 28, the province announced funding for two new S-CAP programs. The first, the Sustainable Agriculture Manitoba (SAM) program, provides funding for farmers and land managers to implement beneficial management practices that increase environmental


Smoke rises from a wildfire near Wildwood, Alta., about 100 km west of Edmonton, on May 5, 2023. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire/Handout via Reuters)

Alberta ‘crossing fingers’ for rain amid wildfires

CN mainline traffic west of Edmonton suspended

Reuters — Firefighters were counting on rain and cooler weather forecast for Monday to help them quell a dramatic start to Alberta’s wildfire season. The province declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to wildfires in northern and central regions that have displaced nearly 30,000 people and prompted energy producers to shut in

A smoke column rises from a wildfire on May 4, 2023 near Lodgepole, Alta., about 30 km southwest of Drayton Valley. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire handout via Reuters)

Fire and floods across Western Canada force evacuations

Western Alberta towns of Edson, Drayton Valley ordered to evacuate

Reuters — A week of record-hot weather in Western Canada has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes, as wildfires rage in parts of Alberta and rapid snow melt triggers flooding across interior British Columbia. By Friday, more than 13,000 people were under evacuation orders in Alberta. As of late Friday afternoon, 91 fires


File photo of a CFIA vehicle. (Dave Bedard photo)

Gene-edited crops clear CFIA’s regulatory bar

Agency guidance puts gene editing on level of conventional breeding

Plants gene-edited for efficient use of water or nutrients or to better withstand pests or drought now won’t have to clear the same regulatory hurdles in Canada as any crops that are modified for herbicide tolerance or include foreign genes. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday announced updated guidance from the Canadian Food Inspection

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in degrees Celsius over the tropical Pacific Ocean for the week centred on April 12, 2023. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns

New record highs 'more likely than not'

Brussels | Reuters — The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global