Calay News
Officials in Alberta are hopeful that weather conditions will turn in their favor in the coming week to help firefighters battling wildfires in Canada’s oil-rich province. While forecast thunderstorms could complicate efforts, cooler temperatures and the possibility of rain are expected to provide much-needed relief.
Amid hot, dry weather, forecasters are keeping a close eye on a front that is expected to move into the province on Sunday. Christie Tucker, manager of Alberta Wildfire’s information unit, mentioned during a briefing that this front is expected to bring moisture and even rain, which would be beneficial for fighting fires. However, Tucker emphasized the importance of steady, prolonged rain that soaks the forest and ground rather than brief rain that could generate lightning and spark new wildfires.
The province of Alberta has experienced an intense wildfire season, resulting in power cuts, housing evacuations, and poor air quality. So far, Alberta Wildfire has responded to 496 wildfires that have scorched more than 842,000 hectares, compared to a meager 459 hectares affected in 2022. This significant increase in the magnitude of wildfires has generated concern and the need for a rapid and effective response.
To address the situation, some parks and campgrounds in Alberta have been closed over the Victoria Day weekend, when there is traditionally an increase in seasonal wildfires, some of which are accidentally caused by people.
Wildfires in Canada have also affected US states, generating smoke and air quality alerts in places like Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Utah, Washington, and Colorado.
Currently, more than 2,800 firefighters from Canada and the United States are hard at work fighting approximately 91 active wildfires.
In addition, several oil and gas companies have had to intermittently suspend or restart production due to the changing risks associated with the fires. This has had an impact on the flow of gas from Canada to the United States, as it has decreased significantly in recent weeks.
According to Refinitiv, the average daily flow of gas from Canada to the US has been only 7.1 billion cubic feet, which is considerably lower than the average of 8.4 billion cubic feet exported since early 2023 and 9.0 billion cubic feet in 2022.
