Alerts Listing Page

Environment Canada continues to adjust heat warnings in the Interior Health region due to daytime temperatures in the mid to high 30 degrees Celsius combined with overnight lows near 18 degrees Celsius. No extreme heat emergencies have been declared at this time. Please check the Environment Canada website for updates on heat warnings in your area. Interior Health is reminding people that elevated temperatures increases the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre of Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the different types of heat alerts, how to prepare for hot temperatures, symptoms of heat-related illnesses, those most at risk during hot weather and ways to stay cool.  Preparing for and responding to hot weather: If you have air conditioning at home, make sure it is in good working order and turn it on. If you do not have air conditioning at home: Find somewhere you can cool off on hot days. Consider places in your community to spend time indoors such as libraries, community centres, movie theatres or malls. Also, as temperatures may be hotter inside than outside, consider outdoor spaces with lots of shade and running water.  Shut windows and close curtains and blinds during the heat of the day to block the sun and prevent hotter outdoor air from coming inside. Open doors and windows when it is cooler outside to move that air indoors.  Ensure that you have a working fan, but do not rely on fans as your primary means of cooling. Fans can be used to draw cooler late-evening, overnight and early-morning air indoors. Keep track of temperatures in your home using a thermostat or thermometer. Sustained indoor temperatures over 31 C can be dangerous for people who are susceptible to heat. If your home gets very hot, consider staying with a friend or relative who has air conditioning if possible. Identify people who may be at high risk for heat-related illness. If possible, help them prepare for heat and plan to check in on them Who is most at risk? Everyone is susceptible to heat-related illness. It is important to monitor yourself, family members, neighbours and friends during hot weather. Consider developing a check-in system for friends, family, and neighbours who are at high risk of heat-related illness.  Those who are at highest risk include: Older adults, especially those over 60 People who live alone  People with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease  People with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or anxiety  People with substance use disorders  People with limited mobility and other disabilities People who are marginally housed  People who work in hot environments  People who are pregnant  Infants and young children Your health: Drink plenty of water and other liquids to stay hydrated, even if you are not thirsty. Spray your body with water, wear a damp shirt, take a cool shower or bath or sit with part of your body in water to cool down. Take it easy, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Stay in the shade and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. Take immediate action to cool down if you are overheating. Signs of overheating include feeling unwell, headache and dizziness. Overheating can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, severe headache, muscle cramps, extreme thirst and dark urine. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should seek a cooler environment, drink plenty of water, rest and use water to cool your body.  Signs of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting and very dark urine or no urine. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. However, it is important to use 911 responsibly to avoid overwhelming the system.  When to call 911: In cases of heat stroke: loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting or very dark urine or no urine. In general: when there is chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe burns, choking, convulsions that are not stopping, a drowning, a severe allergic reaction, a head injury, signs of a stroke or a major trauma. If you have a less urgent health issue: You can call HealthLinkBC at 811 and speak with a nurse or go to an urgent care centre or clinic if you can do so safely. That way, our emergency medical dispatch staff and paramedics will be available for people who need their services the most. There are also online tools at healthlinkbc.ca, including a “Check Your Symptoms” tool.

Environment Canada has extended heat warnings in the Interior Health to include the Kamloops and South Thompson for Thursday and Friday. Daytime highs between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius combined with overnight lows near 18 degrees Celsius are forecast for the next two days. This is not an extreme heat emergency. Interior Health is reminding people that elevated temperatures increases the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre of Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the different types of heat alerts, how to prepare for hot temperatures, symptoms of heat-related illnesses, those most at risk during hot weather and ways to stay cool.  Preparing for and responding to hot weather: If you have air conditioning at home, make sure it is in good working order and turn it on. If you do not have air conditioning at home: Find somewhere you can cool off on hot days. Consider places in your community to spend time indoors such as libraries, community centres, movie theatres or malls. Also, as temperatures may be hotter inside than outside, consider outdoor spaces with lots of shade and running water.  Shut windows and close curtains and blinds during the heat of the day to block the sun and prevent hotter outdoor air from coming inside. Open doors and windows when it is cooler outside to move that air indoors.  Ensure that you have a working fan, but do not rely on fans as your primary means of cooling. Fans can be used to draw cooler late-evening, overnight and early-morning air indoors. Keep track of temperatures in your home using a thermostat or thermometer. Sustained indoor temperatures over 31 C can be dangerous for people who are susceptible to heat. If your home gets very hot, consider staying with a friend or relative who has air conditioning if possible Identify people who may be at high risk for heat-related illness. If possible, help them prepare for heat and plan to check in on them Who is most at risk? Everyone is susceptible to heat-related illness. It is important to monitor yourself, family members, neighbours and friends during hot weather. Consider developing a check-in system for friends, family, and neighbours who are at high risk of heat-related illness.  Those who are at highest risk include: Older adults, especially those over 60 People who live alone  People with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease  People with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or anxiety  People with substance use disorders  People with limited mobility and other disabilities People who are marginally housed  People who work in hot environments  People who are pregnant  Infants and young children Your health: Drink plenty of water and other liquids to stay hydrated, even if you are not thirsty Spray your body with water, wear a damp shirt, take a cool shower or bath or sit with part of your body in water to cool down. Take it easy, especially during the hottest hours of the day  Stay in the shade and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or more Take immediate action to cool down if you are overheating. Signs of overheating include feeling unwell, headache and dizziness. Overheating can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, severe headache, muscle cramps, extreme thirst and dark urine. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should seek a cooler environment, drink plenty of water, rest and use water to cool your body.  Signs of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting and very dark urine or no urine. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. However, it is important to use 911 responsibly to avoid overwhelming the system.  When to call 911: In cases of heat stroke: loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting or very dark urine or no urine In general: when there is chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe burns, choking, convulsions that are not stopping, a drowning, a severe allergic reaction, a head injury, signs of a stroke or a major trauma. If you have a less urgent health issue: You can call HealthLinkBC at 811 and speak with a nurse or go to an urgent care centre or clinic if you can do so safely. That way, our emergency medical dispatch staff and paramedics will be available for people who need their services the most. There are also online tools at healthlinkbc.ca, including a “Check Your Symptoms” tool

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to unexpected limited nursing availability. Emergency services will be unavailable until 8 a.m. Thursday, July 20 and patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital at 97 1st Ave NE, Nakusp. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in New Denver is normally open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week while Interior Health continues to recruit to fill positions to return to 24/7 operations.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for the Fraser Canyon including the community of Lytton. Daytime high temperatures near 35 degrees Celsius combined with overnight lows near 18 degrees are forecast for the next three days. This is not an extreme heat emergency. Interior Health is reminding people that elevated temperatures increases the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre for Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the different types of heat alerts, how to prepare for hot temperatures, symptoms of heat-related illnesses, those most at risk during hot weather and ways to stay cool. Preparing for and responding to hot weather: If you have air conditioning at home, make sure it is in good working order and turn it on. If you do not have air conditioning at home: Find somewhere you can cool off on hot days. Consider places in your community to spend time indoors such as libraries, community centres, movie theatres or malls. Also, as temperatures may be hotter inside than outside, consider outdoor spaces with lots of shade and running water. Shut windows and close curtains and blinds during the heat of the day to block the sun and prevent hotter outdoor air from coming inside. Open doors and windows when it is cooler outside to move that air indoors. Ensure that you have a working fan, but do not rely on fans as your primary means of cooling. Fans can be used to draw cooler late-evening, overnight and early-morning air indoors. Keep track of temperatures in your home using a thermostat or thermometer. Sustained indoor temperatures over 31 C can be dangerous for people who are susceptible to heat. If your home gets very hot, consider staying with a friend or relative who has air conditioning if possible. Identify people who may be at high risk for heat-related illness. If possible, help them prepare for heat and plan to check in on them. Who is most at risk? Everyone is susceptible to heat-related illness. It is important to monitor yourself, family members, neighbours and friends during hot weather. Consider developing a check-in system for friends, family, and neighbours who are at high risk of heat-related illness. Those who are at highest risk include: Older adults, especially those over 60 People who live alone People with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease People with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or anxiety People with substance use disorders People with limited mobility and other disabilities People who are marginally housed People who work in hot environments People who are pregnant Infants and young children Your health: Drink plenty of water and other liquids to stay hydrated, even if you are not thirsty. Spray your body with water, wear a damp shirt, take a cool shower or bath or sit with part of your body in water to cool down. Take it easy, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Stay in the shade and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. Take immediate action to cool down if you are overheating. Signs of overheating include feeling unwell, headache and dizziness. Overheating can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, severe headache, muscle cramps, extreme thirst and dark urine. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should seek a cooler environment, drink plenty of water, rest and use water to cool your body. Signs of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting and very dark urine or no urine. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. However, it is important to use 911 responsibly to avoid overwhelming the system. When to call 911: In cases of heat stroke: loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting or very dark urine or no urine. In general: when there is chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe burns, choking, convulsions that are not stopping, a drowning, a severe allergic reaction, a head injury, signs of a stroke or a major trauma. If you have a less urgent health issue: You can call HealthLinkBC at 811 and speak with a nurse or go to an urgent care centre or clinic if you can do so safely. That way, our emergency medical dispatch staff and paramedics will be available for people who need their services the most. There are also online tools at healthlinkbc.ca, including a “Check Your Symptoms” tool.

Ashcroft and area residents are advised of temporary changes to service hours at Ascroft Urgent and Primary Care Centre due to limited physician and nursing availability. On May 20, services at the Ashcroft UPCC will be unavailable for scheduled and walk-in patients. Scheduled patients will be rebooked for the earliest available appointment date. During this time, patients can book same-day access to care at the Kamloops Urgent Primary Care and Learning Centre at 250-314-2256. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The UPCC in Ashcroft is normally open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

With multiple highways still damaged by flooding and mudslides, the Province is extending the provincial state of emergency. Given the continued need for public safety measures under the Emergency Program Act and ongoing work to repair damaged highways, the provincial state of emergency is being extended until the end of the day on Jan. 11, 2022. Read the B.C. Government's news release to learn more. Stay up to date by visiting these trusted sources of information: Webpages Interior Health's Floods & Landslides page EmergencyInfoBC  DriveBC HealthLink BC Resources: Flooding and Your Health Clean-up after a Flood During these extreme weather events, please remember: If you receive an evacuation alert: be ready to leave on short notice. If you receive an evacuation order: you are at risk and need to leave the area immediately. Check road conditions before you travel, and if you don't need to travel, stay at home.

Environment Canada has forecasted a strong winter storm in B.C. from Friday through to Sunday. View public weather alerts by region

BC Provincial Emergency Alert - Emergency Response Across BC The flooding/road closures may cause disruptions to the illicit drug supply across BC, which can increase toxicity and risk of overdose. There is no shortage of naloxone in BC and we are working to ensure distribution to sites across the province. Read the full alert from Toward the Heart. View more alerts  

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a severe weather notification in advance of the third of three atmospheric river systems expected to hit the central coast of B.C. between the evening of Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. View public weather alerts by region