Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued heat warnings for most of Vancouver Island and the province with most areas reaching daytime highs above 30 degrees.
Greater Victoria, Southern Gulf Islands, East Vancouver Island and Inland Vancouver Island are under the heat warning through Tuesday night.
“A strong ridge of high pressure over the region has ushered in very high temperatures. Daytime highs will be in the low 30s away from the water with overnight lows near 16 degrees,” said ECCC.
High temperatures are expected to become milder starting Wednesday but warm weather will persist.
Parts of Northern B.C., Interior, Kootenays, Coastal regions and the Lower Mainland are all under the heat warning.
Watch the full report below:
In the Interior, areas around Kamloops are forecasted to reach as high as the low 40s, with high temperatures persisting through Thursday.
ECCC reminds the public to drink plenty of water and ensure that vulnerable people remain cool.
“Heat affects everyone, but the risks are greater for seniors, people who live alone, people with pre-existing health conditions,” said ECCC.
“Check on family, friends and neighbours, who are at higher risk, particularly if they live alone, to make sure they have a cool space.”
Donna Brubaker just moved to Lake Cowichan from Prince George on July 1, and doesn’t have a working air conditioner in her apartment. She said days on end of temperatures over 30 degrees has been “scary”.
“Horrible, stifling, I’ve been trying to drink lots of water, but even that’s not really helping,” Brubaker told CHEK News on Monday.
The City of Victoria is helping the public cool down during the heat warning with pop-up emergency cooling stations with water, electrolytes, misting bottles and sunscreen but stopping short of opening up emergency cool down centres. City Emergency program coordinator Tanya Seal-Jones said that the need isn’t necessary right now.
“The need doesn’t exist currently for that so if the conditions exists where there’s nowhere to go and their experiencing heat illness or heat exhaustion then we will certainly open one up,” said Seal-Jones.
RELATED: Port Alberni breaks temperature record from 2010 as heat wave intensifies
Heat Warnings issues for most of Vancouver Island (ECCC)
22 record-breaking temperatures
The federal agency says 22 areas in B.C. reached a new record daily high temperature on Sunday, including one that stood for nearly 120 years.
Three areas on the Island were on the list.
In the Nanaimo area, the daily high reached 33.3 C, beating it’s 2010 record of 32.2 C.
The Qualicum Beach area broke it’s 2010 record of 29.1 C, reaching 30.6 C.
The Malahat Area also broke its 2010 record reaching a daily high of 30.7 degrees, beating its previous record of 29.1 degrees.
Other areas in B.C. saw new highs reaching in the 40’s.
Cache Creek was a hot spot on Sunday, with a daily high of 40.3 C, breaking the record of 36.9 set in 2015.
The mercury hit 38.3 C in the Kamloops area breaking the previous record of 35.6 for July 7 set in 1906.
New daily records have also been set in the northeastern B.C. community of Fort Nelson, as well as Williams Lake in central B.C., Smithers in the northwest, and Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast.
Wildfire Risk
The B.C. Wildfire Service is warning of an increased fire risk due to high temperatures and dry conditions.
There are currently 96 active fires in the province, none on Vancouver Island, with 21 of them listed as out of control.
“These hot, dry conditions continue to increase the potential for elevated wildfire activity,” said the service in a note on Monday.
“Everything becomes a lot drier and there’s a higher risk of embers. Embers can go as far as 35 kilometres, so they can travel a long way,” said Lake Cowichan Fire’s Training Officer Jessica May.
However, B.C. Wildfire Service says the above-average temperatures reduce the risk of lighting-caused wildfires but that could change once temperatures drop this week.
“This is expected to continue until Wednesday, when a new weather pattern is forecast to bring high winds and the potential for thunderstorm activity with dry lightning strikes,” said the service.
Most of the Wildfires are burning in the northeastern part of B.C., including the Parker Lake Wildfire which was listed as under control on Friday.
Category 2 and 3 open burning is prohibited across the province. Category 1 campfires are still allowed in all fire centres.
Oli Herrera
