Calgary is likely to face certain weather-related problems as the city thaws

It's been a frigid week but relief is on the horizon.

Alberta's deep freeze continued on Saturday with extreme cold warnings for some regions still expected to hold until Sunday (Calgary's extreme cold warning was lifted Saturday afternoon).

But Environment Canada is forecasting a comparably balmy high of 0 C on Sunday, with temperatures expected to rise to a high of 7 C on Monday.

The warmer weather will put an end to some of the problems related to cold weather the city has seen over the past number of days.

However, the Calgary fire department is preparing for a whole new set of problems as things begin to thaw out.

"When it warms up, we see an additional increase compared to normal. When pipes freeze, they don't always burst right when they freeze," said Calgary Fire Department spokesperson Carol Henke. "Once the ice starts melting, which acts as a plug, then the burst pipes make themselves known, especially if those pipes are part of the sprinkler system in buildings."

Henke said the fire department has had a busy week dealing with problems involving fires, flooding, burst pipes and carbon monoxide.

"Definitely, [the cold weather] increases the challenges. We always work as a team, so we keep an eye on each other," Henke said. "We tend to rotate the crews through whatever tasks they're doing, so they can do a lot more quickly."

Watch this video for tips to prevent damage to your property during cold weather spells: 

Prevention of damage during cold snaps

5 years ago

Duration 0:42

Calgary Fire Department spokesperson Carol Henke provided some tips to prevent water damage when temperatures dip.

After issuing a handful of electricity emergency alerts this past week, the Alberta Electric System Operator said things are starting to look better as we head into warmer weather.

• Electricity emergency alert ends, after Alberta cold snap spiked demand to record high

Overall demand is down, electrical generation is up and the grid is moving back to normal levels.

The City of Calgary said it wasn't expecting a significant increase in water main breaks in the coming days, but said those who notice any issues should call 311.