Surrey shares heat-safety advice and cooling options

The City of Surrey is urging residents to take precautions during heat waves, as daytime highs of 32 to 33 C and overnight lows of 15 C can trigger local heat-response measures. When those conditions are forecast, Environment and Climate Change Canada may issue colour-coded heat alerts for Surrey, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

The city warned that children and pets must never be left alone in a parked vehicle. At an outside temperature of 34 C, the temperature inside an enclosed vehicle can reach 52 C within 20 minutes, it said. Cracking the windows does not keep the interior at a safe temperature.

The Museum of Surrey at 17710 56A Avenue is among the civic facilities available to people seeking relief during extreme heat. Community partners may also operate cooling locations and misting tents when they are open. Residents can use outdoor pools, Crescent Beach, open spray parks and park water fountains to cool down.

The city said heat-related illness can be especially dangerous for young people, older adults, people working or exercising outdoors, people with chronic heart or lung conditions or mental illness, people living alone and people experiencing homelessness. Keeping pets indoors is the safest option during a heat wave, although the city says people bringing pets to recreation facilities for heat relief are supported.