'Deadly Heatwave' in Western Canada Nears 50°C... Evacuation Orders Issued Due to Wildfires

Temperatures Soar Up to 49.6°C... Evacuation Order for 250 Due to Wildfire

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] A record-breaking heatwave has struck, with temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius in western Canada, where wildfires have also broken out, prompting evacuation orders for residents.

On the 1st (local time), the Associated Press reported that a wildfire broke out in Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, and Mayor Jan Polderman ordered residents in the nearby area to evacuate.

Mayor Polderman stated on his Twitter, "All residents are advised to leave the town and move to a safe place."

The wildfire reportedly started 153 km northeast of Vancouver and has been spreading sporadically.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC, he said that about 250 people were directly exposed to the disaster due to the wildfire.

He said, "The entire town was engulfed in flames," adding, "Within 15 minutes of seeing the smoke, the whole area turned into a blazing inferno."

Fire authorities announced that the exact scale of the wildfire has not yet been determined.

In western Canada, where a sudden heatwave hit, 69 people died from heat-related causes in a single day as of the 29th of last month, with damages continuing to mount.

British Columbia authorities estimated that at least 486 people died suddenly over five days starting from the 25th of last month, when temperatures abruptly rose.

The temperature in Lytton reached 49.6 degrees Celsius on the 29th, breaking Canada’s highest temperature record for the second consecutive day. The previous day recorded a high of 47.9 degrees. On the 30th, the temperature dropped somewhat, registering 39 degrees Celsius.

The century-high heatwave shaking western Canada as well as the northwestern U.S. states of Washington and Oregon is attributed by experts to a 'Heat Dome' phenomenon caused by climate change.

The Heat Dome phenomenon refers to a situation where the jet stream, which mixes cold and warm air, weakens, causing a layer of hot air to be trapped like a dome by high pressure, surrounding the ground and remaining stationary.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.