B.C. heatwave results in 16 suspected deaths across the province
Posted August 9, 2022 9:51 pm.
Last month’s heatwave resulted in 16 suspected deaths across British Columbia, the BC Coroners Service reported Thursday.
Between July 26 and Aug. 3, the greatest number of deaths — five — happened on July 29. The second most deadly day was July 30, with a total of three deaths.
Most of the deaths — six — were in people aged 70-to-78, while three people aged 60-to-69 passed away.
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Half of the recorded deaths occurred in the Fraser Health Authority, while six deaths happened in the Interior Health Authority. Vancouver Coastal and Island Health both recorded one death each.
The BC Coroners Service says the data is preliminary “and subject to change as coroners’ investigations conclude.”
The findings come as the British Columbia Emergency Health Services responded to over 200 heat-related incidents during the heatwave.
Vancouver recorded six days in a row of temperatures over 27 C degrees, an all-time record for those days according to weather historian and forecaster Rolf Campbell.
July 31 was also Vancouver’s “moistest” day in more than 60 years, with a mean humidity of 85 per cent.
During 2021’s heat dome event, Vancouver sweltered through four days of a humidex recording a temperature over 35 C degrees. However, during this year’s heatwave it only saw two days hit that uncomfortable mark.
More than 600 people died during last year’s heat dome, which triggered a provincial review into extreme heat and mortality.
Climate change is fueling longer heat waves in B.C. and its surrounds, a region where weeklong heat spells had been rare, according to climate experts.
