Hot, dry weather comes with cautions and a few benefits
Calgary was under a heat warning Wednesday with forecast high of 29C.
While many were out taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, it came with cautions as well.
EMS spokesperson Adam Loria says it's important to remember to cover up with loose clothing or sunscreen, wear a hat, take breaks and keep drinking water.
"Ideally hydration begins the day before - 12 to 24 hours - before going outside," Loria says. "Try to stay hydrated with water throughout the day if you are outside."
The Drop In says it has plenty of space for the city's vulnerable to come and cool off and take shelter from the heat. Staff are working with 20 outreach agencies in the city to make sure sunscreen, hats and water bottles make it to people who may not come to the shelter.
One unexpected benefit of the hot dry spring is a drop in mosquito numbers which are slightly below normal and appear to be falling according to Alexandra Coker, a pest management technician with the City of Calgary.
Temperatures in Calgary hit 29 degrees Wednesday
She says traps are showing a decline in numbers since the previous week. There are roughly 35 species of mosquito in Calgary. They can travel up to 10 kilometres from where they hatch in search of a blood meal. The city does do some control work around the city's outer edges, using a targeted bacterial agent that exclusively kills mosquito larva.
As always in Alberta, the big question is, what's coming next?
"It's all about habitat. Is there water for them to breed in? So are we going to get the summer rains?" says Ken Fry, an entomologist and instructor at OIds College. "If we get the summer rains and we get accumulations of water, then we're going to get mosquitoes."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.