Close X
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. heat records tumble, Environment Canada to provide update on heat wave

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Jul, 2024 09:39 AM
  • B.C. heat records tumble, Environment Canada to provide update on heat wave

Nearly two dozen daily temperature records have fallen as a heat wave continues in British Columbia, pushing the mercury over 40 C in some areas.

A summary from Environment Canada shows 22 daily high temperature records fell across the province on Sunday, including one that had stood for almost 120 years.

The mercury hit 38.3 C in the Kamloops area breaking the previous record of 35.6 for July 7 set in 1906.

Cache Creek, B.C., was a hot spot on Sunday, with a daily high of 40.3 C, breaking the record of 36.9 set in 2015.

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, Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast.

Temperatures today are forecast to hit 41C in the Interior village of Lytton, 27 C at Vancouver's airport and 39 C in Kamloops.

Environment Canada says the heat wave brought in by a ridge of high pressure is expected to persist until about mid-week.

The weather office had issued more than 40 heat warnings in B.C. by Sunday.

It says the high temperatures pose a "moderate risk" to public health, and the risks are greater for seniors, people who live alone, and those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, respiratory illness, or mental health challenges.

Officials with Environment Canada are scheduled to provide an update later today on persisting "hot weather conditions" in Western Canada.

The alerts in B.C. cover much of the lower third of the province as well as parts of the northeast, inland sections of the central and north coasts, the Sunshine Coast, Whistler, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and parts of Vancouver Island.

While the weather office says some of the heat warnings are expected to be lifted by Tuesday, particularly along the coastline and on east and inland Vancouver Island, other regions can expect the high temperatures to continue.

It says temperatures in the southern Interior are expected to climb into the low 40s this week, before moderating on Thursday.

MORE National ARTICLES

Ottawa 'urgently' waiting for info from B.C. before deciding on drug criminalization

Ottawa 'urgently' waiting for info from B.C. before deciding on drug criminalization
The province is one year into a three-year pilot project to decriminalize possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. A Health Canada exemption was issued to allow the pilot to proceed. Last week, B.C. Premier David Eby asked Health Canada to recriminalize the use of those drugs in public spaces, such as hospitals and parks. Possession in private spaces would still 

Ottawa 'urgently' waiting for info from B.C. before deciding on drug criminalization

Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors

Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan. He says 1 million seniors received their benefits card and are eligible to make claims under the program as of today.

Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors

B.C. woman arrested over speech that praised Hamas attack

B.C. woman arrested over speech that praised Hamas attack
Police say a 44-year-old woman has been arrested in a hate-crime investigation over a speech in Vancouver that praised the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. A statement from the Vancouver Police Department says the woman "referred to a number of terrorist organizations as heroes." 

B.C. woman arrested over speech that praised Hamas attack

Safety gear, training, helped B.C. wildfire pilot survive crash, safety board says

Safety gear, training, helped B.C. wildfire pilot survive crash, safety board says
A Transportation Safety Board report says experience, recent training and safety equipment were key factors in a pilot surviving the crash of a firefighting plane south of Cranbrook in August 2022. The report says the pilot was alone in the Air Tractor AT-802A aircraft and had just finished his eighth water drop when the engine suddenly lost power, with no time to recover because of the low altitude.   

Safety gear, training, helped B.C. wildfire pilot survive crash, safety board says

London Drugs closure continues due to cybersecurity incident

London Drugs closure continues due to cybersecurity incident
London Drugs is investigating whether personal data was breached in a cybersecurity incident that has prompted the company to close its stores across Western Canada until further notice. A statement from the Richmond-based retailer and pharmacy chain says it will notify "affected individuals" if the probe finds their data was breached.

London Drugs closure continues due to cybersecurity incident

Early morning shooting in Langley

Early morning shooting in Langley
Police are investigating after a man with a gunshot wound was found on the side of the road in Langley, east of Vancouver, early this morning. R-C-M-P say the victim was conscious and breathing when first responders arrived and transported him to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  

Early morning shooting in Langley