We’re having a heatwave! Temperatures to soar across B.C. this weekend

VANCOUVER – If you like the heat, you’re going to love this upcoming weekend.

Temperatures will continue to soar across the province as this heatwave meanders into next week.

So far, it has been a solid week of sunshine and warm afternoons, and this weekend will be no different.

In Metro Vancouver, temperatures will range from 25 degrees by the water, and up to 31 degrees inland.

Along the North Coast, conditions remain dry with afternoon temperatures up to 5 degrees above seasonal.

And by Sunday in the Southern Interior, highs will have climbed to 37 degrees.

Global BC weather anchor Kate Gajdosik says the simple science behind these persistently sunny afternoons and above seasonal temperatures has to do with a dominant, and very strong, high pressure cell sitting just offshore in the east Pacific. The sinking air associated with these features prevents the formation of clouds and draws warm air out of the tropics.

This kind of heat can bring some dangers with it however.

Nanaimo RCMP say they have had an influx of calls since the hot weather began about pets being left in hot cars. They have since issued some guidelines about what to do if you see a dog, or another animal, in a hot car, before calling the police or animal control.

“We understand the urgency of these situations and appreciate how the public must feel when they see an animal in a parked vehicle,” says Const. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP. “We also recognize the overwhelming majority of these calls are resolved successfully without any injury to the animal.”

The Ministry of Health says never leave your pet or a young child in a car, even if you are only intending to run a quick errand. Cars can quickly become extremely hot; when the temperature outside is 27 degrees Celsius, the inside of a car can be as high as 36 degrees Celsius.

Pets and young kids can experience heatstroke in less than 30 minutes. Symptoms of heatstroke in pets includes rapid, exaggerated panting, or stopping panting, rapid pulse, salivation, anxious or staring expression, weakness and muscle tremors, tongue and lips will turn red. The animal may collapse, go into a coma and potentially die.

WATCH: The hot weather can bring a number of potential dangers:

This heat and dryness also means an increased risk for wildfires.

A wildfire near Tumbler Ridge has grown to 4,500 hectares and is currently zero per cent contained. A large fire near Osoyoos is now under control but that blaze was very aggressive and spread quickly.

Gajdosik says there is no immediate relief in sight either. Daytime high temperatures are forecast to be well above seasonal through next weekend for all regions of British Columbia.

– With files from Kate Gajdosik