Extreme heat
Be prepared for extreme heat in Kelowna
Keep yourself and your family safe during extreme heat. It’s common for summers in the Okanagan to be sunny and hot, but when the temperature rises to extreme levels, it’s important to have a plan in place to stay cool and to stay connected with those who may be at higher risk of heat-related illness.
A two-tiered Heat Alert & Response System is in place by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to help alert the public when extremely hot temperatures are forecasted including a Heat Warning and an Extreme Heat Emergency:
| Heat Warning | Issued when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 35°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 18°C or warmer. |
| Extreme Heat Emergency | Heat Warning criteria have been met and forecast indicates that daily highs will substantively increase day-over-day for three or more consecutive days. |
In the event of an Extreme Heat Emergency, we will provide direct updates with the latest information to keep our community informed. To receive updates to your inbox, sign up for News Release e-bulletins or Central Okanagan Emergency Management Community Notifications.
How to prepare for extreme heat:
Depending on whether you have access to air conditioning, fans or shade, your heat preparation plans may look different. Here’s a suggested action plan from Prepared BC to put in motion during Extreme Heat:
- Relocate to a cooler location.
- Reconfigure the coolest location in your home so you can sleep there at night.
- Check in with your pre-identified heat buddy. If you don’t have one, reach out.
- Put up external window covers to block the sun if you can safely do so.
- Close your curtains and blinds.
- Ensure digital thermometers have batteries.
- Make ice and prepare jugs of cool water.
- Keep windows closed between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Open them at 8 p.m. to allow cooler air in, and use fans (including kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans) to move cooler air through the house.
Places to cool down when the temperature rises
You can visit any public City facility during operating hours to find relief from the heat throughout the summer months.
Many Kelowna parks and green spaces offer shade where temperatures can be lower than homes without air conditioning. View our Parks & Beaches map to find parks near you, or visit one of our three waterparks to help stay cool.
You can also take indoor breaks by visiting a local restaurant, museum, art gallery, movie theatre or malls. During a heat warning or emergency, the City will take steps to ensure residents have access to places to keep cool, including waived transit fares within the City. Simply indicate to the driver that you are using the bus to go someplace to cool off and the fare for the ride will be waived.
Additional resources
- Extreme Heat | Interior Health
- Extreme Heat | Climate Ready BC
- Preparing for Extreme Heat | Prepared BC
- Preparing for Heat Events | BC Centre of Disease Control
- Adapting to Extreme Heat Events | Health Canada
- BC Provincial Heat Alert and Response System (HARS)
- Weather Information | Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Strong Neighbourhoods | City of Kelowna
A two-tiered Heat Alert & Response System is in place in Canada to help alert the public when extremely hot temperatures are forecasted including a Heat Warning and an Extreme Heat Emergency:
Heat Warning: Issued when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 35°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 18°C or warmer.
What should I do?
Take usual steps to stay cool such as drinking water or finding shade. Cool down by visiting a public City facility during operating hours such as the mall, recreation and activity centres, libraries, Museums or City Hall.
Extreme Heat Emergency: Heat Warning criteria have been met and forecast indicates that daily highs will substantively increase day-over-day for three or more consecutive days.
What should I do?
- Activate your emergency heat plan.
- Continue visiting public spaces as needed. Check back here, or call individual organizations in advance to see if any of the venues are extending operating hours during the emergency.
- Take a cool shower or bath, or fill a bucket with cold water to soak your feet in.
- Shut all doors and windows, and pull curtains to keep the sun out.
- Open windows in the evening if the temperatures cool down.
- Consider setting up fans in front of ice trays if air conditioning is not available in your home.
Under the ECCC Heat Alert & Response System, a Heat Warning is issued for the Central Okanagan when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 35°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 18°C or warmer.
An Extreme Heat Emergency would be triggered through an emergency alert when Heat Warning criteria have been met, and the forecast indicates that daily highs will substantively increase day-over-day for three or more consecutive days.
According to Prepared BC, the following people are especially at-risk if they do not have access to air conditioning and need to be prepared and supported:
- people aged 65 years or older
- people who live alone
- people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease
- people with mental illness such as schizophrenia, depression, or anxiety
- people with substance use disorders
- people who are marginally housed
- people who work in hot environments
- people who are pregnant
- infants and young children
- people with limited mobility
Part of having an emergency plan includes checking in on those who may not have access to air conditioning, or those who may be more susceptible to heat. This can include friends, family and neighbours. You can use resources such the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health’s Extreme Heat Health Check Tool to help you do this.
Severe heat illness and heat stroke are medical emergencies. Call 9-1-1 if you are caring for someone with signs or symptoms of severe heat-related illness. Symptoms of severe heat-related illness include:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Faint or loss of consciousness
- Confusion or disorientation
- Difficulty speaking
- Movement and coordination problems
- Lethargy
- Not sweating
- Hot, flushed, or very pale skin
- Not urinating or very little urinating
- Rapid breathing and faint, rapid heart rate
- Body temperature >39°C (102°F)
While waiting for help to arrive, you can help cool the person by:
- Moving them to a cool place, if possible
- Remove excess clothing
- Apply cold water, wet towels or ice packs around the body
Learn more about the signs of heat-related illness via Interior Health or the BC Centre of Disease Control.
Part of good heat preparation plans includes putting a plan in place for pets. Here are some recommendations from the BC SPCA to help your pets through bouts of extreme heat.
- Pavement: If you regularly jog or bike with your dog, be conscious of when you’re doing it. If it’s a hot day, the pavement can get very hot for your pet’s feet.
- Exercising: Choose to exercise with your dog earlier in the morning or later in the evening when it’s cooler reducing the chances of your pet getting heatstroke.
- Outdoor excursions: When hiking, camping, or going to the beach, make sure you bring along a water bowl and water for your pet as well as an umbrella for shade. Use towel to both dry off your pet and to give them an option of a place to lie down that’s not scorching hot.
- Cool Down: Freeze your pet's favourite food or treats, such as Kongs, or ice cubes with chicken broth or try freezing a variety of toys and treats inside one big ice cube. Consider investing in a kiddie pool for your pup and fill with cool water for your furry friend to enjoy and play in.
- Check in to see if your pet OK: Ensure your pet is actually having a good time outside in the heat or in your back yard and is able to get out of the sun in a nice shaded area.
- Pets in cars: If you go out in the car, leave your pet at home rather than in a hot vehicle, where it can take as little as 10 minutes for a pet to suffer irreparable brain damage or even death.
As pets are not permitted in cooling centres, people requiring support for their pets can contact the Animal Lifeline Response Team (ALERT) at 250-809-7152. The BC SPCA also has more tips and advice for summer pet safety available here.
The City works with community partners and public City facilities to offer cool spaces that people can visit during extreme heat warnings and emergencies. The locations of these publicly-accessible cooling spaces will be shared soon.
You are able to access these spaces to cool down during a heat warning or a heat emergency. You can use these facilities free of charge. You are welcome to access any of the cool spaces for a few hours or the day as needed, and will have access to seating, drinking water, washrooms, Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.
During a heat emergency, these cool spaces may operate extended hours, subject to capacity. You can check back here or call the organization directly to find out their operating hours.
Transit fares will be waived for those seeking transportation to a cool location at the heat warning stage. During a heat emergency, this would include bus transportation to an official Cooling Centre. Indicate to the driver that you are using the bus to go someplace to cool off and the fare for the ride will be waived.
Please note: pets are not permitted in any of the listed cool spaces. People requiring support for their pets can contact the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team (ALERT) at (250) 809-7152. The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) website also has valuable tips and advice for summer pet safety.
The City is working collaboratively with community organizations and outreach teams to support people sheltering outdoors. This may include supporting with cooling supplies and information on heat safety, drinking water locations and cooling opportunities.
In addition to air-conditioned public spaces and shaded outdoor spaces, Metro Community Drop-In is where people can access water, shade, food and peer-led supports. The drop-in site is open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is located at 1262 St. Paul Street. The cool spaces listed above are also accessible to everyone.
Many Kelowna parks and green spaces offer shade where temperatures can be lower than homes without air conditioning. View our Parks & Beaches map to find parks near you, or visit one of our three waterparks to help stay cool.
Air quality during a Heat Warning / Extreme Heat Emergency may be affected by high concentrations of ozone or particulate matter, especially if there are wildfires burning nearby. Heat and air pollution affect your body in different ways, and some people are susceptible to the effects of both. The ECCC Heat Alert & Response System recommends that cooler, cleaner indoor air is the best way to protect yourself from heat and air pollution. Since heat poses a bigger risk than smoke for most people, they recommend to prioritize staying cool.
Use the Prepared BC Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide for tips and resources.
The City has an extreme heat plan in place for programs and events for the safety of both program participants and staff.
Some seasonal programs can be adapted during extreme heat through adaptations such as bringing the class indoors. If there are any impacts to a City program you’re registered in due to extreme heat or adverse weather conditions, you will be notified directly.
Free, drop-in summer programs, such as Park & Play, may be adjusted as temperatures rise to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort. For example, if the temperature exceeds 32 degrees, inflatables will not be set up, and program hours may be shortened. If the temperature or humidex reaches 40 degrees or higher by 1 p.m. on the day of the event, the program will be cancelled. Cancellation notices will be posted online.
