B.C. launches heat alert and response system to help people, communities stay safe

British Columbia is introducing a two-tiered heat alert and response system to help people and communities stay safe this summer when temperatures rise.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says during periods of extreme heat emergencies, the government is prepared to issue alerts through the national Alert Ready system, which is already used to issue Amber Alerts and tsunami, wildfire and flood warnings.

Temperatures surpassed 40 C for days in last summer's so-called heat dome in B.C., resulting in almost 600 heat-related deaths, most of them elderly and vulnerable people living in buildings without air conditioning.

Farnworth says the B.C. Heat Alert and Response System will include two categories that include heat warnings and extreme heat emergencies.

He says the province and local and First Nations authorities will advise and warn the public during periods of rising temperatures and will issue heat alerts during such emergencies.

Farnworth says the province has developed an Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide that helps people prepare their homes and gives advice on staying safe when temperatures rise.