Temperature records are melting in British Columbia as a prolonged heat wave grips the province, but British Columbia Emergency Management says it is not expecting extreme heat.
In a statement, the agency said residents should monitor temperature forecasts and take advantage of cooling stations set up in many communities, but a repeat of last year’s deadly heat dome, which killed more than 600 people, was not expected.
Environment Canada maintains heat warnings for most of British Columbia and says 10 daily maximum temperature records were broken Wednesday as the province recorded a dozen of Canada’s highest temperatures.
At 42C Lytton was the hottest place in the country as the Met Office said the village broke its previous record for the day of 40C set in 1939.
Records were set all over British Columbia, from Vancouver to Bella Bella, Fort St. John and Nelson.
Pemberton’s 39.5 C didn’t set a record, but it tied for the fourth-hottest community in Canada, prompting a flood watch for the nearby Lillooet River.
The River Prediction Center has issued a watch for the Pemberton area and the Lillooet River system as high-elevation snow and glaciers melt, causing what the center expects to be the highest recorded late July flow in that region since the beginning of these measurements in 1914.
The center also issued a high flow warning for the Squamish and Elahoe rivers and other glacier-affected rivers and streams in the sea-to-sky area north of Vancouver.
“While Sea-to-Sky rivers and streams are unlikely to reach the peak flood levels typically seen from rain and sleet in the fall, upcoming flows are expected to be the highest seen in late July,” The River Forecast Center said in a statement released Wednesday.
“Extreme care should be taken for those traveling to the countryside during the current heatwave,” it said.
A woman and her dog cool off at Okanagan Lake in Kelowna, British Columbia, on Tuesday as daytime temperatures moved well into the 30s. (Winston Sceto/CBC)
The degree of fire danger reaches summer level
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also warned residents to be careful as the heat is expected to last at least until Monday.
“This week and as we head into the BC Day long weekend, we’re seeing high temperatures in many parts of the province,” Farnworth said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
“I encourage everyone to stay cool and if you know someone who may be at higher risk of heat illness, to get them checked out. Many municipalities are opening cooling centers. Please check with your municipality, regional district or First Nation for the most up-to-date information.”
No campfire bans are in place in any of BC’s six fire centers as the BC Day long weekend approaches, but the BC Wildfire Service is warning that the heat wave is creating potentially dangerous conditions.
“Recent warm and dry conditions indicate that fires starting in the coming days are more likely to show increased fire behavior and faster rates of spread as forest fuels continue to dry out,” the Bushfire Service said in social media post.
The fire danger level for most of British Columbia was rated “high” on Thursday, with much of the fire’s southeast center area rated “extreme.”
Thursday’s forecast included the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms over southern Cariboo, North Thompson and Kamloops, while details on the wildfire service’s website showed 40 active fires in British Columbia, with 12 since Tuesday.
There was only one major wildfire reported in the province and the bushfire service warned on Thursday that the nearly 15-square-mile blaze burning west of Lytton could burn in coming days as temperatures in the area remain above 40 C.
But fire officials also described the flames as “stable” as the often gusty winds around Lytton had died down on Wednesday.
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