Multiple heat warnings persist across B.C.

It’s another day to stay in the shade as a number of heat warnings remain in place across British Columbia on Tuesday.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, warnings are in place for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, eastern Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and throughout the province’s Interior.

CityNews Meteorologist Carl Lam says temperatures in Metro Vancouver on Tuesday could feel as hot as 38 Cº when accounting for humidity.

“There is a northwesterly wind, around 20 kilometres an hour, but that does little to nothing to cool us down across the region,” he said.

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Near the water, Lam says temperatures will feel like they’re in the low 30s, while more inland could feel like the high 30s. He adds overnight temperatures will hover around 17 Cº.

Lam says the conditions are expected to persist Wednesday and into Thursday before cooling down a bit by the end of the week.

“Friday is definitely going to be a fresher feel as we have temperatures between 21 Cº and 25 Cº with mostly sunny conditions, and it’s around seasonal as we head towards the weekend,” he said.

A handful of temperature records fell on Monday, many of them in the interior. Kelowna reached 37.8 Cº the hottest Aug. 14 in 25 years, and Pemberton set a new record with 39.1 Cº In Metro Vancouver, Maple Ridge saw its hottest Aug. 14 temperature at 33.3 Cº.

Vancouver garden attractions work to conserve water

You may notice a few differences around some of Vancouver’s most lush attractions during the heat wave.

Andrew Fleming, Superintendent for Van Dusen, as well as the Bloedel Conservatory, says they too have to abide by Stage 2 watering restrictions in Metro Vancouver.

“We’ve stopped watering the grass under Stage 2 of the restrictions so it’s going to start getting a little brown and a little crispy, which is probably something that people aren’t accustomed to seeing here,” he told CityNews. “We’re watering less just like everybody else and just have to be a bit more strategic with the watering that we do.”

Fleming says that for Van Dusen Gardens in particular, some changes have been made to what’s planted to make the garden more drought tolerant.

“Every year, the ones that are coming online that are more successful are the ones that can handle the conditions that are slowly becoming the norm,” he said.

“As a botanical garden, we will protect the collection and the assets that we have. We’ll be a bit more efficient. We may not water something as much as we otherwise would. But certainly, we’d be watering it enough to keep it alive,” he said.

Metro Vancouver began Stage 2 watering restrictions on Aug. 4 as a precautionary measure to conserve the region’s water supply. The restrictions include an outright ban on lawn watering among other measures.

Advocates work to protect vulnerable Vancouverites from heat

An outreach team for the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver has been working in the city’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood to ensure people are aware and are prepared to cope with the latest heat spike.

Mission spokesperson Nicole Mucci says those who are experiencing mental illness, homelessness or who have chronic health conditions are most at risk of illness and death during such heat waves.

“Whether that’s folks who are unhoused, folks who are experiencing addiction, perhaps those with mental illness, or those who are maybe elderly or disabled, and just letting them know that hot weather is coming,” she said.

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Mucci says staff have been handing out water, hats and sunscreen and are encouraging people living on the Downtown Eastside to seek out cooling stations during the day and stay in shelters at night.

She notes it is also important to remember that many people in areas like the Downtown Eastside live in affordable or “precarious” housing, like single rooms, and don’t always have access to fans or air conditioning.

Mucci adds the mission’s housing team has worked to ensure its shelters are equipped with cooling areas.

With files from The Canadian Press