The City of Vernon is encouraging all residents, businesses and visitors to take careful steps to care for the health of themselves and their loved ones as the North Okanagan experiences another round of hot temperatures and wildfire smoke settled into the region.
Environment Canada has issued a Heat Warning and Special Air Quality Statement for the Okanagan Valley, including Vernon. Over the next few days, Environment Canada is forecasting daytime highs to range between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius with overnight lows expected to be near 18 degrees Celsius. The region is also expected to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24 – 48 hours.
For those who are looking for a place to stay cool and to escape the smoke, a number of public facilities are open for use and publicly accessible drinking water sources are available free of charge throughout the community.
The following locations are available for public access during regular operating hours. Links to their websites to find hours of operation are available below:
Throughout the City of Vernon there are several locations where you can find public access to drinking water. For information and a map of the locations, please visit www.vernon.ca/drinkingwater.
There are also several places where you can stay and play with your dog in the Greater Vernon area, including some of the local beaches. Tourism Vernon has gathered a list of the various parks, beaches and trails where dogs can go to also find some shade or splash in the water. A map of these locations is available at www.tourismvernon.com. Please note the on- and off-leash areas noted on the map.
Interior Health and the BCCDC recommend taking specific steps to stay cool and hydrated to prevent heat-related illness, including:
If you are planning to spend time outside, remember to check the forecast, be prepared with safety items and plenty of water, and pay very close attention to your activities and the surrounding area.