It’s been a hot, hot summer, and it’s not over yet.
Luckily, the weather hasn’t been as extreme as the June 2021 heat dome that killed 619 people in B.C. At this point in the season, it’s unlikely for temperatures to hit those highs, in part because we’re well into the shorter days and longer nights beyond summer solstice.
But B.C. is still on alert. Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said that the 2021 heat wave showed that “heat deaths can happen in Canada.” Meanwhile, wildfires rage countrywide.
“Two to three years ago we didn’t see heat as a threat but we learned that’s not the case, especially with climate change.”
The province will be following the 2023 BC Provincial Heat Alert and Response System, Ma said, which guides governments, health authorities, hospitals and community care sites in taking action to prepare to keep people safe.
“Be prepared, stay safe and look out for one another,” Ma said.
The government and health authorities are recommending that British Columbians find ways to stay cool until temperatures fall. With this in mind, we want to ask:
How are you keeping cool this summer?
* Please note that all poll answers will be publicly viewable, but anonymous.
Please note that Tyee Barometer polls are only intended as a quick and engaging non-scientific snapshot of our readers' opinions on various topics that fit with The Tyee's very broad editorial mandate. They are not intended to be seen as a representative sampling of BC opinion.