Heat warning issued for Durham Region this weekend

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Durham Region this weekend.

The heat event is expected to begin Saturday, June 20 and last until Monday, June 22.

The Durham Region Health Department advises of a number of protective actions residents can take to beat the heat, such as drinking plenty of water, seeking shade and wearing light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing, sunglasses and a hat when outdoors. Sunscreen should also be worn when outdoors, and outdoor activities should try to be scheduled during cooler parts of the day.

Due to COVID-19, extra precautions should be taken to maintain physical distancing by staying two metres (six feet) apart from others when out of the home. The health department also suggests maintaining physical distancing when checking in with vulnerable neighbours, friends and older family members to ensure they are staying cool, hydrated, and not experiencing any difficulties related to the weather.

The health department is also reminding residents that people or pets inside should never be left inside a parked car as outside temperatures of 23 C can become dangerously hot inside the car with temperatures becoming higher than 50 C inside the car, which can lead to serious illness and death.

Anyone who sees a person or pet unattended in a hot vehicle at any time should dial 911 immediately.

Ways to say cool while at home include keeping curtains and blinds closed during the day, and open windows or use a fan to cool the home in the evening.

Those who need to work outside or do physical activity should take extra breaks, drink lots of water and wear less gear, if possible.

Visit the Environment Canada website for more information on alerts and forecasts. For more information on Durham Region heat warnings and information on what to do during a heat alert, visit www.durham.ca/heat.