B.C. heatwave preparation: increased demand for AC units, fans

It’s already unseasonably warm and it’s only going to get hotter in the coming days — and people are paying attention.

CityNews has been stopping by local stores, and with fans and air conditioners in demand, some people are referencing the heat dome a couple of years ago as to why they’re not messing around.

While we’re not going to see temperatures climb to the levels we saw during the heat dome in 2021 where more than 600 people died, it’s still going to be quite hot for this time of year.

CityNews spoke with a man who bought a fan for his mother.

“We had a heat dome two years ago which was really atrocious,” he said. “People died. And my mom, you know, I’m worried about people. I know someone who actually died during the heat dome, so it’s important to have a fan.”

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Things will heat up on Friday and through the weekend with Sunday and Monday expected to be the hottest days in the short-term.

“Daytime highs reaching into the high 20s to low 30s with overnight lows in the low to mid-teens,” reads Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) special weather statement. “Daytime highs will be 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above seasonal values.”

The last two summers have been quite warm in B.C. and this is further proof this is the new normal for this province. “…The developing heat may result in daily temperature records being broken,” adds ECCC.

This kind of weather can be problematic for the very young, the very old, and anyone with underlying health conditions who may be at greater risk of developing heat-related illnesses.

CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says overnight lows will be about 5 to 10 degrees above average for this time of year.

Meanwhile, a woman in the process of buying an air conditioner for her mother told CityNews Thursday she was happy they were still in stock.

“Just with her age, she’s not in the greatest of health — I’m worried the heat could kill her,” the shopper said. “I think everybody should get one if they can and I think in low-income places, they should supply them in the building, that’s just my opinion.”

Stay hydrated, check in on your vulnerable loved ones

On Thursday, the province issued safety reminders over the dangers of hot weather.

Sarah Henderson, the scientific director of Environmental Health Services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), says it’s critical people understand the potential dangers of extreme heat.

“Extreme heat is another type of emergency that we need to consider planning and preparing for,” she said, noting how we prepare for floods or wildfires.

Henderson says emergencies like the heat dome were unprecedented and prove that heat events can be deadly.

Noting it takes time for people to get acclimatized to hot weather each season, she says being prepared can make a critical difference.

Seniors and those living alone are among the most vulnerable people to extreme heat. Officials are urging British Columbians to check in on their loved ones, friends, and neighbours who are most susceptible to higher temperatures to ensure they’re okay.

They are also reminding people to stay hydrated and find cooler places to find relief from the heat, and to know the signs of overheating.

They include “feeling severely unwell, a headache, dizziness, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, and extreme thirst.”

–With files from Sonia Aslam and Lilian Au