Cooling centres opened in Burnaby amid heat warning

The City of Burnaby has activated its extreme heat cooling centres amid a heat warning from Environment Canada.

The warning was upgraded from a special weather statement Sunday amid high temperatures exceeding 30°C in some parts of the Lower Mainland, and the weather agency warned that the hot stretch brought with it an increased risk of heat illness.

Hot temperatures are expected to continue today, but will cool down Tuesday as marine air moves in from the Pacific.

Burnaby residents looking for refuge from the heat can visit indoor cooling centres at four locations from 10am-10pm when a heat warning is issued:

North Burnaby

• Cameron Community Centre (9523 Cameron St)

• Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre (240 Willingdon Ave)

South Burnaby

• Bonsor Recreation Complex (6550 Bonsor Ave)

• Edmonds Community Centre (7433 Edmonds St)

Cooling centres all have air conditioning, seating, drinking water, washrooms, and free WiFi.

The city is also supporting outdoor popup cooling locations operated by the Burnaby Society to End Homelessness. Those can be found at two locations:

• Civic Square (Central Blvd & McKay Ave, outside Bob Prittie Metrotown Library)

• Kensington Park (Corner of Frances St and Fell Ave)

Washroom facilities, drinking water, seating, and WiFi are also available at pop-up locations.

Other outdoor spaces in Burnaby can also provide respite from extreme heat, including shaded areas, outdoor pools, and spray pads. The City of Burnaby has compiled a list of cooling resources into an interactive map.

At a council meeting earlier this month, staff said the city is working on plans to transport people with limited mobility who may not be able to get to cooling centres on their own. There were no details of those plans released this weekend.

If you are unable to leave your home, you should make sure to stay hydrated consistently throughout the day and check on friends, family, and neighbours for signs of heat illness or heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and you should call 911 if you or someone else is experiencing symptoms including a high body temperature; hot, red, dry or damp skin; nausea; confusion; and dizziness, among others.

The heat warning comes as BC approaches the first anniversary of a heat dome that killed more than 600 people, including 73 in Burnaby alone.

Environment Canada issues a heat warning for the region when daytime maximum temperatures at Vancouver Airport are forecast to exceed 29° for two or more consecutive days, and nighttime lows are expected to reach 16° or warmer.