Fire danger remains high as hot, dry week expected for Maritimes

The Upper Tantallon area fire is seen in this May 28, 2023, photo. (Sarah Plowman/CTV Atlantic)

Natural Resources Canada still has much of the Maritimes rated with a “high” fire danger index to start this week.

Pockets of northern New Brunswick, eastern P.E.I., and eastern Nova Scotia have a “moderate” fire rating.

Fire danger ratings for the Maritimes per Natural Resources Canada.

The region needs rain, but there is little in the forecast over the next several days.

High pressure building in from the west is expected to keep conditions dry Tuesday and Wednesday. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the northern part of New Brunswick Thursday.

A weather front crossing the Maritimes on Friday brings with it the best chance of seeing widespread showers and possible pockets of rain.

Current guidance indicates that the wet weather Friday may only bring a few millimetres of rain to much of the Maritimes. Some pockets with more than 10 millimetres of rain are possible.

It has been a dry Spring, with precipitation totals for March and April well-below historic averages.

The Canadian Drought Monitor has most of Nova Scotia, southern New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions.

All three Maritime provinces are under a burn ban.

A no burn order is in effect for all three Maritime provinces. More hot and dry weather is forecast this week.

Sunday was hot, with record high temperatures set in all three Maritimes provinces. Moncton, N.B., hit a record high of 31.8 C, Halifax Airport hit a record of 31.4 C, and Charlottetown P.E.I. hit a record of 28.3 C. It was the hottest day of the year so far.

More unseasonably hot temperatures are expected Wednesday and Thursday this week, with hhighs in the upper 20s C and low 30s C. Parts of the coast exposed to winds off ocean waters will be a bit cooler.

Total precipitation compared to the 30 year average for the months of March, April, and May combined.

Temperatures are forecast to cool on Friday with the forecasted arrival of widespread cloud and showers, as well as a turn to a northerly wind.