THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay is issuing an extreme heat warning alert to the community, warning vulnerable residents could struggle with scorching temperatures expected for Saturday and Sunday.
The city is poised to set new temperature records over the weekend, with highs well into the thirties, and overnight lows remaining near 20 C.
The city asks residents to check in with vulnerable friends, neighbours, and family during the heat event, with young children, the elderly, and the homeless among those most at risk.
The challenges of heat events are made greater by COVID-19, said Cynthia Olsen, the city's acting director of corporate strategic services.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create barriers to access services to mitigate the impact of severe heat,” she said. “The pandemic has limited access to formal facilities such as shelters and informal locations such as libraries, malls, and vestibules that are typically available during severe weather events for vulnerable populations.”
Anyone at risk should be encouraged to remain in a cool place and drink plenty of water, the city said, and can use wet towels to cool down.
If residents see someone on the street who needs assistance, the city suggests calling the Shelter House SOS program at 620-7678, or 911 in the case of a medical emergency.
Shelters like the Salvation Army and Shelter House will also relax restrictions to allow more individuals to remain inside during the intense heat if necessary, the city said.
Temperatures are expected to fall back into the twenties beginning on Monday.
