Normally the sign of fall is the leaves on the trees turning yellow, but that is not the case this year.

Due to the dry winter and abnormally hot spring, the trees weren't able to receive the moisture they needed early in the year and as a result, the leaves are dying earlier this year.

Crystal Bazar, an Urban Forestry Technician with the City of Airdrie Parks department, said the moisture at the end of winter and early spring are vital for the trees' survival during the summer.

"May and June were very dry. These kinds of trees are expending a lot of energy pushing out their leaves in spring and we just got the moisture at the wrong time."

Although the city does have watering programs in place for the trees, there is a heavy dependence on the weather to keep them alive.

"If there were a valuable tree that we thought was drought stricken, we'd definitely attempt to water it heavily but for the most part, we rely on winter melt and spring rains," said Bazar.

With the Airdrie Parks department taking care of the trees in public spaces, there are things residents can do to help the trees on their property.

"If you've got a smaller tree, you can apply an organic mulch. Watering right before the ground freezes is super important and fertilizing in the early spring is not a bad idea but generally speaking trees don't need a ton of extra fertilizer and you definitely don't want to fertilize anytime after June."

If you have any questions or concerns about the plants on your property, Bazar said the Airdrie Parks department can always be contacted at (403)948-8400 for advice and help.