Metro Vancouver heat warning: How to protect yourself, trees as temperatures soar

Towers in Burnaby are seen during a record-breaking heat wave in June 2021.

A heat warning is in effect across Metro Vancouver Wednesday as Environment Canada warns residents to watch for signs of worsening health conditions that can result from hot weather.

Swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are some of the weather-related illnesses listed in the notice, which emphasizes that “extreme heat affects everyone.”

Daytime temperatures are expected reach anywhere from 32 C to 34 C inland. While the numbers could dip as low as 17 C overnight, that’s still well above seasonal averages and will provide little relief from the heat, Environment Canada says.

Some respite will be found closer to the coast, where breezes from off the water will bring temperatures down by a few degrees.

Environment Canada predicts things will cool off even further Thursday, as the ridge of high pressure that arrived over B.C.’s South Coast earlier this week begins to break down.

The agency is advising residents to familiarize themselves with HealthLinkBC’s online resources on heat-related illness and prevention.

Staying hydrated and taking cold baths or showers are some examples of what people can do to reduce the risk of heat-related illness and treat mild cases.

People who are extra prone to heat-related illness—including seniors, children and those who struggle with mental illness—should be regularly checked on during heat waves, officials say.

The Vancouver Park Board is also raising concern about the health of trees, which are exempt from the city’s ongoing watering restrictions if they’re hydrated by hand or by using drip irrigation.

In a statement Tuesday, the park board asked residents to “join the cause” as its urban forestry team ramps up efforts to hydrate the city’s 160,000 street trees.

Joe McLeod, the manager of urban forestry at the park board, highlighted the fact that trees are crucial for Vancouver’s health.

“Besides adding moisture and purifying the air, they provide shade; an essential in protecting communities through extreme heat events due to climate change. Protect trees and they will protect us,” he said in the statement.

The park board recommends that people pour three to five gallons of water around the drip line of a tree twice a week, slowly, in order to help the tree soak up the moisture without disrupting the soil. Alternatively, residents can allow a hose to slow trickle water at the base of a tree for a few minutes.

Whatever people do outside—be it watering trees or exercising—officials say it’s best to do so early in the morning or the evening to avoid the peak of the heat and its negative impacts.