The weekend and Monday saw unseasonable warm temperatures for Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, causing records to fall and fire risks to creep up.
Records fell in most places up and down the Island and on the Coast. However, a few locations appear to have been spared according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Both Port Hardy and Nanaimo did not record any new temperature records. The hottest temperature for the weekend in Port Hardy is 26.6 C on May 14, 1973. As for Nanaimo, 31.7 C was recorded on the same day in 1973 and proved to be high enough that a new record was not reached.
However, other locations up and down the Island and Coast saw some records fall even after the weekend.
On the Sunshine Coast, Powell River saw records fall on Saturday and Sunday with the hottest at 30 C. Sechelt saw the hottest day yesterday as the area bubbled just over 31 degrees. Records also fell on Saturday and Sunday.
Back on the Island, Campbell River broke records over the weekend after hitting 33 degrees on Sunday. The Comox Valley saw near 32 degrees on Sunday and Monday after breaking records on Saturday as well.
Rounding the weekend weather records off was Duncan, with temperatures over 30 degrees recorded on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The hottest being Sunday at 32.6 C.
Following the weekend’s hot and dry weather, BC Wildfire Service says most of the Island and Coast is in moderate fire risk. However, certain pockets have increased to high risk according to its map.
The Cowichan Valley is included in that high fire risk, along with an area north of Sayward that has a small but out of control fire burning in it.
Areas of the Island’s west coast near Tofino and Ucluelet are also at a high fire risk rating. There are currently no fire bans in effect, according to the map.
