Calgary, Edmonton in the midst of longest heat wave in decades

A historic stretch of heat continues across Alberta as a powerful ridge of high pressure exerts its influence over Western Canada.

While the heat isn’t quite as bad as the 40-degree readings next door in British Columbia, this is still a record-breaking spell of hot weather across Alberta.

Parts of the province are also dealing with dangerous air quality from wildfires burning throughout the region.

Stay with The Weather Network’s wildfire hub for the latest on fires across B.C. and around Canada

Record-breaking heat wave for Calgary and Edmonton

This is a heat wave for the books in Alberta. Heat warnings remain in effect throughout Alberta as a result of this unrelenting spell of hot temperatures.

Calgary is on track to see temperatures at or above 30°C for nine days in a row, which would be an all-time record streak for the city. The previous record was an eight-day stretch seen back in July 1917—more than a century ago.

For reference, Calgary averages fewer than five days per year with temperatures at or above 30 degrees.

Tuesday’s predicted high of 36°C in Calgary would be one of the city’s warmest temperatures on record for the month of July. Calgary’s all-time temperature record for the month was a 36.3°C reading on July 1, 2021.

Things are just as toasty up the road in Edmonton, where the humidex is uncharacteristically high for the city. Humidex values will remain near 40 on Sunday and Monday.

We’re looking at records in Edmonton, as well. A six-day stretch of temperatures at or above 30 degrees set back in June 1961 holds the record for the longest such streak in Edmonton. The weather station in downtown Edmonton hit that mark for the fifth day in a row on Sunday.

Things are even hotter down south. A couple of communities in extreme southern Alberta could make a run at 40°C. If Medicine Hat manages to hit the 40-degree mark, it would be their hottest reading since July 28, 1939.

Temperatures will begin to fall late this week as the ridge of high pressure responsible for this heat wave pushes east across the Prairies.

Air quality plummets as wildfires rage

It’s not just the heat threatening vulnerable individuals across Alberta.

Expect poor to downright hazardous air quality to continue as wildfires rage across British Columbia and the northern Prairies. Extreme wildfire behaviour and new fire starts are likely as the heat continues for several more days.

“Thick smoke in parts of the province may cause daytime highs to be a few degrees cooler than forecast over the coming days,” Environment and Climate Change Canada said in its heat warning for Calgary.

“The combination of heat and very poor air quality in smoke will increase the risk to your health.”

That smoke is no joke, either. Hundreds of wildfires are burning throughout Western Canada as a result of the heat of late.

Very poor air quality was reported in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Lloydminster through the day Saturday as intense wildfires chugged thick smoke over the province.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Alberta.

WATCH: Does breathing in wildfire smoke mean lung issues for life?

Click here to view the video