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
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.