Heat warnings persist for most of B.C., adding to wildfire risk

Heat warnings have been forecast for most of B.C. this weekend, continuing a trend of prolonged hot weather that has led people to make more than 200 calls to paramedics this month.

Most of central and eastern B.C., including large cities in the Interior like Kamloops and Kelowna, was under a heat warning Saturday, as was Eastern Vancouver Island and inland sections of the North Coast.

Some areas, including communities like Osoyoos and Penticton, are expected to see temperatures close to 40 C, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Meteorologists warn the prolonged extreme heat is likely to exacerbate the risk of wildfire in the province, with relief not expected for a few days.

"We expect the heat warnings may end for most regions on Tuesday, but the temperatures will still be above normal,"  said Philippe-Alain Bergeron, an Environment Canada meteorologist.

The highest temperatures could be seen on Sunday, following which a low-pressure weather system currently over the Gulf of Alaska will start making its way south and moderating temperatures — but immediate relief will not be apparent, Bergeron said.

"For Kelowna, we have forecast high of 38 [C] today, 39 tomorrow, 38 again on Monday," Bergeron said on Saturday morning. "That's 10 to 12 degrees above normal. The normal is 27 at this time of year." 

The low-pressure system that will come from the north also brings the risk of thunderstorms, which could spark new wildfires if lightning is not accompanied by significant rain, he said.

"We have winds also in some areas including the Similkameen and Fraser Canyon," the meteorologist said. "So, the winds, of course, can also help propagate fires."

Nearly all of the province is under a "high" wildfire risk, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service, as extreme heat adds to sustained drought conditions. 

Hundreds of calls to paramedics

Some areas of B.C. broke maximum temperature records on Friday, with Nakusp in the Kootenay region recording a new high of 38.2 C — more than five degrees hotter than the previous record, according to Environment Canada.

Abnormally hot temperatures and little rain have defined July for much of the province. And the B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) said they have responded to more than 200 heat-related illness calls since July 6.

The number of calls peaked on July 7, when the service responded to 37 calls related to heat.

About 36 per cent of the calls were in the Interior Health region and 27 per cent in the Fraser Health region, the BCEHS said.

Authorities are warning residents to take precautions by staying hydrated and moving to air-conditioned environments if possible.