Latest News

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Hot, dry conditions in Central and Eastern Canada prompt concerns

By: Benjamin Shingler, The Canadian Press

Posted: 07/15/2012 12:16 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 07/15/2012 4:41 PM

Jonathan Zitouni celebrates his ninth birthday and beats the heat as he cools down in a fountain at Westmount park in Montreal Sunday, July 15, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - Extreme heat and dry conditions in parts of Central and Eastern Canada have led to a surge in forest fires, limitations on water use, and concerns that crops could be ruined if there's not more rain soon.

This summer has seen record-setting temperatures in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, along with far less rain than normal in many areas.

"We've definitely beaten a few records in a few areas," Roberta Diaconesco of Environment Canada said Sunday.

"Compared to other years, yes, we could say that it's pretty hot and humid."

There was some respite on Sunday, with some areas hit with thundershowers after a string of hot, humid days. But overall, the numbers indicate a summer far more dry than normal.

Montreal, for example, normally gets over 90 millimetres of rain in July, but has only had 21 millimetres so far this year, Diaconesco said.

Things were so dry in Ottawa over the weekend that two downtown homes appear to have caught fire after something sparked the grass outside. There were several other brush fires elsewhere in the city.

Some parts of southern Quebec haven't had rain since July 4, causing the St. Lawrence River to drop to levels that haven't been seen in years.

Corn farmers in Ontario have raised concerns the dry conditions will make it difficult for pollination, while in Quebec apple growers project the crop will be down 15 per cent from last year.

In New Brunswick, dry weather led several municipalities to ask residents to cut back on water use and avoid watering lawns and washing cars.

Melanie Morin, a spokeswoman for Quebec's forest fire monitoring service, said there have already been 460 forest fires in 2012 — more than 50 above average for this time of year.

There were about 20 forest fires still burning in Quebec on Sunday.

"The majority are smaller, human-caused fires," Morin said.

"It's been very dry for most of the southern part of the province we've been more than two weeks without rain."

A campfire ban remained in effect Sunday in many parts of Quebec. While some showers hit Montreal Sunday afternoon, Morin said that likely wouldn't be enough to lift the band and there were concerns lighting storms in the forecast could lead to more fires.

The hot weather is expected to continue into mid-week, when a cold front comes in that could bring in more rain, Diaconesco said.

Factual inaccuracy? Something missing? Help improve our journalism.

Know about news? Share your story suggestions, photos and video.

Spelling error? Punctuation problem? Send us an email if you’ve found a typo.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.