NWT heatwave 'unprecedented'
Eight fires have already been reported in the territory
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Monday, May 25, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Canada's go-to climatologist is flabbergasted by the heat wave that's gripped Fort Simpson for the past two weeks.
The village broke temperature records May 10 to 14 and four days later on May 18 and 19, when the mercury flirted with 30 C on multiple occasions.
"I've been in this business for over 45 years ... it's unprecedented," said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada.
"In the wintertime having temperatures that are 12 degrees cooler than normal is not rare at all. But getting temperatures 12 degrees warmer than normal in the warm season, it just doesn't happen."
The duration is also surprising, he added. A spike in temperature for a day or two isn't unexpected but this heat won't quit.
Residents of Fort Simpson will soon be able to cool off in the community pool, as it is slated to open sometime this week.
"Everything is pretty much hooked up," said Nathan McPherson, village recreation coordinator, on May 21.
The Fort Simpson Community Garden Society is also making preparations to start its season.
Teresa Chilkowich, society vice chair, said she's been itching to get into the garden since the snow disappeared but has held off on planting in case of a cold snap.
In the meantime, she's made the best of the heat by bird watching, eating meals outdoors and enjoying the beauty of the budding trees.
The society faces a challenge this season as the garden has been relocated to a site near the Seven Spruce golf course.
It will take extra work to get the garden established, said Chilkowich.
"We need for everybody to pitch in."
The recent warm weather that has descended down along the Mackenzie Valley over the past two weeks is a result of warm air moving North, getting caught in a ridge and circulating down to the surface, said Phillips.
Yellowknife has also seen some unseasonably hot days.
On May 14, temperatures hit 19.5 C breaking the previous record of 18.8 C in 1984.
Records were broken again on May 18 when the mercury climbed to 23.9 C and on the 19th when temperatures reached 20.5 C.
Fort Liard, Colville Lake, Paulatuk, Fort Good Hope, Deline, Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Norman Wells and Hay River all broke temperature records this month.
With the heat, much of the territory also faced extreme fire danger last week.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has already received reports of eight fires - three of these were human-caused and have been put out.
There is one overwinter fire in the North Slave region and three in the South Slave. A natural coal seam fire is burning near Tulita.
The fires are less than 40 hectares in size and aren't threatening communities or major infrastructure, according to ENR spokesperson Judy McLinton.
The department is monitoring them.
"Property owners are advised to be proactive and FireSmart their cabins, home and buildings," she added.
"Proactive planning can reduce the threat of wildlife fire to property and communities."
A list of recommended actions to mitigate fire danger to property can be found on the department's fire-monitoring website.
Some communities and bands across the territory are reviewing their emergency plans in the wake of last year's unprecedented fire season. Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation Chief Lloyd Chicot said his community is currently undergoing a review of their own.
Last summer, most Kakisa residents voluntarily evacuated the community because of smoke from a forest fire burning just seven km away.
If it happened again a few things would get done differently, said Chicot.
For instance, items such as jerry cans that were left out went missing while the community was evacuated, he said. If residents face a situation where they have to evacuate again, he advised people need to make more of an effort to protect their belongings.
Arrangements should also be made to have someone look after elders in an evacuation and ensure they have any medications they need, he said.
On top of this, Chicot told News/North the community is taking steps to prevent fires starting in the area.
About 40 morel pickers who arrived to Kakisa were invited to a community meeting recently.
"We don't want to be cleaning up after them," said Chicot.
"We're trying to be proactive and make sure they don't cause a fire that comes right into the community."
Plans are underway to take down the larger trees in the unburned areas around the community and replace them with smaller trees, such as aspen and birch.
Kakisa will also continue following the FireSmart program, said Chicot.
"I think that saved our community," he said.
"If we didn't do that the last ten years or so we could have lost everything in the community."
