Dave Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada, says the lack of rain this spring has created dry conditions, both causing issues for farmers and an earlier more intense wildfire season. We are just halfway and already records have been broken coast to coast. Records no one wants to break.
"Some places in southern Alberta, southern Manitoba, you haven't seen this (lack of rain) in over a century: a consistently dry February, March, April, May and into June," Phillips said.
Relief is not in sight Philips also says.
"Typically the weather gets into a blocking situation where it just doesn't move, it just stays put, it's getting stale day after day. Philips then remarked “It has been "bone dry." Referring to all of the southern portion of Canada. No region except Yukon, parts of Northern British Columbia and Northwest Territories have had consistent rains.
Many are looking for solutions to manage this dire situation and are calling for a national fire service that would share resources across provincial borders.
For more coverage on wildfire and on-farm impacts see the summer issue of Small Farm Canada magazine on sale now.
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