A record-breaking heat wave has shattered long-term record across the Pacific Northwest and western Canada in May 2023. Nearly 11 million people were under heat advisories in the Pacific Northwest.
The hot and dry conditions have caused severel ongoing wildfires to flare up again across the region. Wildfires are burning out of control in Northeastern British Columbia as unusually hot weather challenges firefighters.
In Canada, the scorching heat has intensified an already above-average start to the wildfire season, particularly in Alberta. As of Wednesday morning, a staggering 96 wildfires were ablaze throughout the province, posing a significant threat to the affected areas. Of the 91 fires burning inside Alberta’s forest protection areas, 27 are classified as out of control, according to Canadian media.
Hundreds of firefighters from across Canada are helping to combat Alberta’s raging wildfires. “All of Alberta is burning. We need rain and we need it bad” said the residents of Alberta.
“Given the amount of fire we’re currently seeing on the landscape, it will be months before all these fires are brought under control, unless we get a significant shift in the weather that brings a lot of moisture,” Alberta Wildfire information officer Josee St-Onge said.
The beginning of this year’s wildfire season has been marked by an alarming level of volatility, with over 480 fires reported so far. These devastating fires have ravaged more than 694,000 hectares of land, causing extensive damage to residential and commercial properties and resulting in the evacuation of entire communities.
As of Tuesday afternoon, as many as 19,500 individuals are still unable to return to their homes, their lives disrupted by the ongoing crisis.
To combat this unprecedented threat, a formidable force of 2,500 firefighters has been deployed. Among them, 1,600 firefighters belong to Alberta Wildfire, while the remaining 900 hail from various organizations, including the Canadian Armed Forces, other provinces, and also the United States. Together, they are battling tirelessly to contain and extinguish these destructive blazes.
The central coastal region of British Columbia is currently under a heat warning that extends until Thursday. Over the next few days, daytime temperatures are predicted to exceed 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius) and nighttime temperatures are expected to hover around 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 Celsius).
A relentless heat wave and record-breaking temperatures will persist throughout the entire region for much of this week. On May 14, high temperature records were broken at multiple locations in the Pacific Northwest, including Portland, Oregon (92°F), and Seattle-Tacoma Airport (89°F).
“Today will be the 4th day in a row with highs in the 80s for Seattle,” the National Weather Service office in Seattle said on May 15. “This will tie the record for most consecutive days with highs 80 degrees plus in the month of May.”
