Interactive maps show B.C. communities' vulnerability to climate hazards like flooding, wildfire smoke
A B.C. health authority has released a series of maps showing how vulnerable its communities are to climate-related hazards like extreme temperatures, flooding and smoke.
Interior Health shared its recently developed community health and climate change maps Friday. The maps, made in partnership with the University of British Columbia, aim to help governments, local agencies and residents understand climate-sensitive areas and plan their infrastructure or emergency responses in the future.
"As in the rest of the province, Interior Health and the communities we serve in this region are being significantly impacted by climate change," Dr. Sue Pollock, interim chief medical health officer with Interior Health, told CTV News Vancouver.
"They're really meant as another tool in our toolbox for really understanding who is most impacted by climate-related events and to allow focus on vulnerable groups within our communities who will be most impacted."
Each map shows a region's risk to high temperatures, low temperatures, flooding and wildfire smoke. That vulnerability is measured by considering exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity.
Some of the factors used to determine a community's sensitivity are the age of the population and their pre-existing health conditions, Interior Health explained, because they impact individual health and physical impacts during extreme events.
Meanwhile, adaptive capacity is determined by several factors like income, social status, education, physical environments and social supports.
Darker shades are used on the maps to indicate a higher risk or vulnerability.
"It's really important to provide information to communities about where they're most vulnerable in terms of these hazards," Pollock said.
Pollock said along with helping communities prepare, the maps can raise awareness of how climate change impacts different people and communities.
"We know some people are more vulnerable to climate change than others," she said.
"All of these hazards, the extreme events, lead to illness and in some cases can lead to death and there are many indirect impacts as well from these hazards."
Interior Health's regional maps can be seen here.
Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health's maps, which were updated last year, can be seen here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city, marking the first franchise in Canada
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.