Delta has dodged the few days of broiling hot weather from earlier in the week, possibly because the population is adjusting to warmer B.C. summers.
Deputy Chief Dave Wood, with Delta Fire and Emergency Services, said he hasn’t heard of any heat-related calls caused by the high temperatures in the past week. Temperatures climbed to 26.5 C on July 7 at Tsawwassen Beach, according to Environment Canada.
“Everyone seemed to be better prepared,” Wood said.
The city did a good job getting out the message and informing residents about how to prepare and respond where cooling centres are located, he added.
Wednesday’s forest fire danger rating in Delta was set at moderate and was to remain at that level for the weekend.
However, as of Friday noon, there’s a ban on all campfires across B.C., except for Haida Gwaii.
Metro Vancouver already has a year-round fire ban.
According to the release by the Ministry of Forests, there have been hot and sometimes record-breaking temperatures in the past week, with 149 fires currently burning in B.C. Anyone found violating the ban could be fined $1,150 and may have to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000.
That means the four fire rings in Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen are also closed to fires, Wood noted.
The message is also out that fires are not allowed on the beach along the causeway to B.C. Ferries or on Tsawwassen Beach.
“We’re still getting some beach fires on the causeway but it’s diminishing. “We’re continuing our patrols nightly,” he added.
When the fire danger rating moves to high, firefighters will start patrolling parks while only propane devices will be allowed for cooking, meaning no barbecue briquets or charcoal are allowed. If the fire danger rating goes to extreme, then all barbecues will be banned from parks.
Acting Insp. James Sandberg, with the Delta Police Department, reported the same situation with no calls of heat-related incidents recently.
However, between June 1 and July 11, police received seven calls about dogs left in parked cars.
Police had to enter two of the cars. All the dogs are OK, and police spoke to the owners.
“But it is still a very good reminder, don’t leave your dog in the car,” Sandberg said. “It’s getting hotter than you realize.”
However, he noted that two of those vehicles were Teslas which has a “dog mode” in its air conditioning system, keeping the interior cool while the EV is parked.
Sandberg also said people seem to be responding better to the hot weather compared to the heat dome of 2021.
