The BC Coroners Service says 11 people were killed from heat-related causes in 2023 and is urging people in British Columbia to take “extra care” as we head into the hottest part of the year.
The BCCS says all 11 deaths occurred between May and August, with 80 per cent of the deaths happening in July and August last year.
The coroner found two-thirds of the deaths were among people over the age of 60, with men accounting for almost three-quarters of all the recorded heat-related deaths.
“Extreme heat can have devastating consequences. In June and July 2021, 619 people died due to record-high temperatures in British Columbia,” the coroner stated Wednesday.
The heat dome descended on the Pacific Northwest between June 25 to July 1, 2021. It was the single deadliest weather event in Canadian history. Temperatures in some places in B.C. soared into the mid-to-low 40s, while Lytton saw the mercury rise to just shy of 50 degrees Celsius.
The deaths in 2021 were most concentrated in the Lower Mainland, specifically in the Burnaby, New Westminster, and Vancouver regions.
The coroners service is urging residents to check in on family, friends, and neighbours, especially those living alone when the temperature heats up.
“Visit cooler environments, such as cooling centres, malls, libraries and other air-conditioned community spaces; stay hydrated and avoid physical activities outside; and never leave children or pets alone in a parked car,” it added.