Extreme heat adds another challenge to drought-like conditions in Cape Breton

How Cape Bretoners are coping with the heat – and cooling off.

The impacts of hot, dry weather can be seen across the Maritimes, and an aerial view an even better idea of how extreme the conditions have become.

“Dry conditions, everywhere one looks,” said Michel Soucy, a photographer and artist from the Cheticamp, N.S., area who has shared several aerial photos in recent days of dry conditions in the Cape Breton Highlands.

One of the photos - of a pond near Cheticamp that has been reduced to its rock bottom - has gotten plenty of reaction locally.

“Of course, it’s hard not to miss the pond that’s dried up out there and a few locals are indicating that’s the first time they’ve seen that in their lifetime,” Soucy said.

At Sydney’s Open Hearth Park, there is dead yellow grass as far as the eye can see.

“Yeah, it’s not great for business when it’s this hot. Nobody wants to be under the sun and anywhere that A/C isn’t,” said Rod MacNeil, who operates a food and drink canteen at the park. “We need rain.”

Even along the water on the Sydney Boardwalk, there wasn’t much relief from the heat.

“It’s extremely hot,” said Uli Kazmeier, who was visiting from Germany. “I was here a couple of years ago and it was more rainy, around 20 degrees. Now, it’s almost double so it’s like… in Germany!”

Soucy said he has heard of a few people whose wells have dried up or are getting low.

The conditions have him concerned about the forest fire risk, particularly along the Cabot Trail, where in many cases there are only so many ways in or out.

“It’s the last thing anybody wants anywhere, but certainly given where we live, we don’t have many options to get out if something was to happen in the worst case,” Soucy said.

The heat warning issued by Environment Canada for Cape Breton said conditions are expected to moderate Wednesday on the Island and along the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia.

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