With large swaths of the province under heat warnings, Albertans are having to find ways to beat the heat this week.
The city of Calgary and communities to the south and east, including Drumheller, Brooks, Okotoks and High River are expected to face extended stretches of hot weather, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Communities in the eastern part of the province, from Bonnyville, St. Paul and Cold Lake in the north all the way south to the U.S.-Canada border are also under a heat warning.
A heat warning is issued by ECCC when daytime high temperatures are expected to reach 30 C and evening lows aren’t expected to dip below 15 C for at least two days in a row.
ECCC shared a number of ways to protect against the high heat:
- Consider rescheduling outdoor activities to cooler hours of the day.
- Take frequent breaks from the heat, spending time in cooled indoor spaces where possible.
- Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages to stay hydrated.
- Check for your children or pets before you exit your vehicle. Do not leave any person or pet inside a closed vehicle, for any length of time.
Alberta Health Services also advises wearing a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants to cover the skin outside.
Sue Henry, chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), urged Calgarians to look out for each other during heat waves.
“It absolutely can be dangerous, especially for those that don’t have a place that they can go to cool off or those that have some pre existing medical conditions,” Henry told Global News. “That’s why it’s so important to check on those people in our lives that we know are in that circumstance: help them cool off, help them get to a place where they can get cool and make sure that they are drinking that water.”
During stretches of high temperatures, CEMA helps coordinate efforts to keep the city’s unhoused populations cool.
“If you do see someone that is in medical distress, always call 911,” Henry added. “If you’ve run into somebody that you’re not sure has a place to go, you can also call the DOAP Team (at 403-998-7388) that can help if we’re looking at those that are experiencing homelessness.”
The city released a map of weather relief and resources on Tuesday.
People attending the Calgary Stampede have a few options to cool off and get hydrated through the week.
Stampede spokesperson Kristen Anderson pointed to the 150-foot tall Superwheel.
“That’s a good spot to start with and cool off with their air conditioned cars, as well as the Big Four Roadhouse is right behind that. People can go in and have a seat and grab something to drink and families are welcome from until 6 p.m.” Anderson told Global News.
The Nutrien Western Event Centre and the Scotiabank Saddledome are also climate-controlled indoor environments.
Heat stroke symptoms can include a high body temperature, a lack of sweat, disorientation, fainting and unconsciousness. AHS said anyone waiting for medical attention should be moved to a shaded area, outer clothing and shoes should be removed and a wet towel should be wrapped around the individual.
Calgary’s two rivers are popular spots for citizens to find some respite from hot weather, but the city’s fire department warned of the risks.
“In this hot weather, being by water, be it a pool, the river, a lake, helps you cool down. However, people need to realize that where there’s water, there’s risk,” Calgary Fire Department public information officer Carole Henke said.
Henke said crafts going on bodies of water need to be fit to traverse the waterways. Tying rafts together presents “huge risk,” especially if floating down rivers that have bridge abutments and pillars.
“What our crews often see on the water is people not wearing their life jackets,” the CFD spokesperson added. “They will do you no good if you suddenly capsize and your lifejacket is floating down the river. You need to be wearing it, it needs to be done up and it needs to fit properly.”
And despite being surrounded by water while boating or rafting, Henke advised people bring drinkable water with them, avoiding alcoholic drinks which can dehydrate and are illegal on Calgary’s waterways.
Neither Edmonton nor Calgary are expected to beat historically-high temperatures of near 34 C on Tuesday.
Calgary and Medicine Hat are expected to reach 30 C and 32 C, respectively, on Tuesday. The city playing host to the Stampede is expecting peak temperatures in the high-20s to low-30s this week and Medicine Hat’s highs will be above 30 C all week.
“We have an upper ridge parked over central Alberta today, pulling 30 C heat up into Alberta,” Global Calgary chief meteorologist Tiffany Lizee said. “There’s a cold front moving through the province tomorrow which will bring a brief reprieve from the heat, along with possible thunderstorms.”
Lizee expected temperatures to jump again by the end of the week.
Edmonton won’t be spared by the heat on Tuesday with an expected high of 32 C. But temperatures are expected to moderate on Wednesday, according to ECCC forecasts.
Global Edmonton chief meteorologist Jesse Beyer noted that meteorologically-stable conditions will likely result in sunny skies and light wind in the capital region.
“Outside the upper ridge to the northwest (of Edmonton), we could see the development of severe thunderstorms today with the potential of large hail, strong wind, heavy rain, and with the risk of super-cellular storms, tornadoes can’t be completely ruled out,” Beyer said.
–with files from Jayme Doll and Adam MacVicar, Global News
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