A recent report projected the areas in Canada that are at most risk when it comes to future heat waves — and one city in B.C. stood out.
After last year's heat dome in the province, which broke all-time Canadian heat records, and the projection of an extremely hot summer to come, the reality of climate change is more clear than ever.
The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation published the report on Wednesday, where it outlined the areas of Canada likely to be the most exposed to extreme heat from 2051 through 2080.
It also illustrated the measures people in the areas are going to have to take to deal with the extreme heat.
Kelowna, B.C. is projected to be the city in Canada that will face the hottest heatwave temperatures.
The top areas for warmest maximum temperature heat waves until 2080. Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future
It is also projected to be the city with the longest-lasting waves in the country.
The top areas for the longest heat waves until 2080.Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future
The whole province was referenced as a risky zone throughout the study, because of its "red zones."
The report said that while big cities are hotspots for global warming, there are three “red zones” in Canada that "will be hardest hit by extreme heat."
The three zones are the "valleys between the West Coast and the Rocky Mountains in B.C., prairie communities bordering the U.S, and north of Lake Erie through the St. Lawrence River Valley in Ontario and Quebec."
Kelowna also ranked in the top 10 metropolitan areas that are most exposed to extreme heat, the report said.
According to the report, smaller exposed communities in B.C. are Kamloops, Penticton, Vernon, and Creston.
The managing director of Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Joanna Eyquem, warned that if "an extreme-heat event coincided with an extended electricity outage — with no fans or air conditioning running — loss of life could easily jump to the thousands.”
Climate Resilient Infrastructure is recommending that people support the vulnerable and elderly, use nature to keep cool in heatwaves, and design buildings to support cooling without relying on air-conditioning.