Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

KAMLOOPS HEAT

City of Kamloops planning for potential hot weather response

Jul 4, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops is keeping a close eye on the mercury this week with the forecast calling for daytime highs of 40 degrees by the end of the weekend.

“Criteria to be met for us to be activated under a heat alert is a high of 35 one day, and then for the low to not drop below 18 overnight, and then for the next day to be over 35 again,” explains the city’s emergency preparedness manager Ty Helgason. “We would be activated in that case by Environment and Climate Change Canada.”

According to the Helgason, Environment and Climate Change Canada did say for the first heat event of the year, the heat alert might activate anyway as people may not be adjusted to the heat yet.

“Although we are seeing those evening temperatures right now in the forecast dipping to 17 degrees, I would anticipate that we would see some activation by next week,” notes Helgason.

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However, the city likely would not be using the Sandman Centre for a cooldown facility over next week, because the arena is booked for an event until July 13.

“In situations where an indoor cooling centre like the Sandman Centre is not available for us to use in this way, we will instead be offering free swimming,” explains Helgason. “That includes the Canada Games Pool, the Westsyde Pool, as well as the Brock outdoor pool. And anytime that there is public swimming scheduled, folks can just show up and swim for free if we’re in a heat alert.”

If a heat alert is declared, the city says it will use the Voyent Alert! system to notify residents and direct them to resources.