Almost 600 lives lost to extreme heat in summer 2021

UPDATE 10:47 a.m.

A breakdown of the latest numbers from the BC Coroner Service on heat-related deaths by region shows a total of 64 people died due to heat-related causes in the Interior region between June 25 and July 1, 2021.

Thirty-two people in the Okanagan died as a result of the heatwave; there were 25 deaths in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap; four people died due to the heat in the East Kootenays and three people lost their lives in the Kootenay Boundary region.

The heat-related deaths for the same period between June 25 – July 1, 2021, by townships shows 12 people died in Kelowna, five people died in Vernon and 14 people died in Kamloops.

A further breakdown shows that 57 people died in the Interior while inside a residence and the number of deaths was almost equally split between males and females with a total of 49 per cent of deaths being male and 51 per cent being female. Those numbers look different in the Interior with 40 males and 24 females dying due to the heat between June 25 and July 1, 2021.

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ORIGINAL 9:05 a.m.

New numbers from the BC Coroner Service indicate at least 595 British Columbians lost their lives due to this past summer's record-breaking heat.

"I extend my sincere condolences to all of those who lost a loved one as a result of last summer's unprecedented heat dome," said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner.

"By identifying patterns and factors in the tragic deaths that occurred unexpectedly last summer, our province will be in a better position to prevent future similar tragedies."

The largest number of heat-related deaths took place between June 25 and July 1, 2021, when a heat-dome weather event resulted in numerous temperature records being set throughout the province. At least 526 deaths occurred during this event, and several of the deaths recorded in the days and weeks following were due to injuries sustained during the heat-dome period.

The BC Coroners Service considers a death heat-related when:

• the localized environment or the body temperature of a decedent is consistent with hyperthermia; or
• there is no direct temperature at the time of death, but there is evidence to support that heat had a significant causal effect on the death.

Nearly three-quarters of the deaths recorded between June 25 and July 1 occurred in either the Fraser, 273 or Vancouver Coastal, 120 health authority regions. The provincewide death rate during this period was 10.1 per 100,000 residents. Individuals aged 70 or older accounted for 69% of deaths. No heat-related deaths among children were reported.

The BC Coroners Service expects to have completed individual investigations of each of the 595 heat-related deaths by early 2022. At that time, the service will convene a death review panel consisting of subject-matter experts who will create recommendations intended to prevent similar deaths. The findings of the panel are expected to be publicly released in late spring 2022.

"While we expect the findings of the death review will significantly contribute to efforts to increase public safety, we must take steps to prepare for future extreme weather events now," Lapointe said.

"The effects of climate change are both real and unpredictable. Having a plan to regularly check in with loved ones who live alone, being aware of cooler and air-conditioned areas in your neighbourhood, and heeding early warnings about extreme weather are simple steps that will help ensure we are all properly prepared and safe."

Additional key preliminary findings indicate:

• The highest numbers of deaths were recorded on June 28 (131 deaths) and June 29 (231 deaths).
• The percentage of female (51%) and male (49%) heat-related deaths were similar.
• The highest rates of death by Health Service Delivery Area were in Fraser North (17.4 per 100,000), Fraser East (15.1 per 100,000) and Vancouver (13.7 per 100,000).
• The three townships experiencing the highest number of deaths were Vancouver (99), Surrey (67) and Burnaby (63).
• Ninety-six per cent of heat-related injuries occurred in a residential setting.