Environment Canada issues heat warning for most of Alberta
It's another hot day in Edmonton, and Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for most parts of Alberta, including Edmonton.
Temperatures in the city are expected to rise close to or above 29 C during the day, and won't dip below 14 C overnight.
At the Taste of Edmonton food festival, vendors are doing what they can to stay cool as the sun heats up their tents and food trucks. Many of them have fans blowing in their booths to provide a small reprieve from the high temperatures.
Jordan Smith, manager of Packrat Louie Kitchen & Bar, said festival staff are drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. He guessed they are drinking about 150 bottles of water a day altogether.
"I've seen more than a few people leave their tents and go jump in the [city hall] fountains," said Smith. "Two of my staff did it yesterday. They came prepared; they had swimsuits on underneath so they went over there and took a 30-minute swim."
Smith said it's hot no matter where he stands in his tent with the intense heat coming off the stove that's cooking food all day. On Wednesday, their thermometer said it was around 40 C in there, he said.
"I've seen some people dumping ice buckets over their heads almost like the ice bucket challenge but not a challenge, just to try to stay cool," said Smith.
The sunny weather is bringing people out in droves to the food festival, and the business is great for stands like Lemon Heaven.
"There's going to be a lot of people wanting to drink lemonade," said Emmanel Nnamani from inside the tent.
He said it's tempting for the staff to drink the lemonade themselves to cool off.
'It's been brutal'
Craig Waddington is a construction foreman building city bike lanes in downtown Edmonton. He said his crew has been working 12-hour days in the sun, six days a week.
"It's been brutal the past couple days. It's super warm," said Waddington.
"We just watch out for each other, we work together and take our breaks in the shade. Sit in the truck and run the AC for a bit if you have to, but other than that just try and get what you can get done in a day," he said.
Dan Kulak is a meteorologist with Environment Canada and said people can expect to get a break from the high temperatures on Friday.
In the meantime, Environment Canada recommends people take precautions to stay safe such as:
- Consider rescheduling outdoor activities to cooler hours of the day.
- Take frequent breaks from the heat, spending time outdoors at your house or at cooled public buildings (including malls or indoor pools).
- Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages to stay hydrated.
- Do not leave any person or pet inside a closed vehicle, for any length of time.
Alberta Health Services also recommends wearing sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF, a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured clothing.
emily.rendell-watson@cbc.ca
@erendellwatson
