Heat warnings issued for Kenora and area, putting vulnerable people at risk

Environment Canada is warning of a multi-day heat event in parts of northwestern Ontario that's expected to stretch into Friday. The agency issued heat warnings early Thursday morning for the Kenora, Dryden and Fort Frances areas.

Daytime highs are expected to reach as high as 32 C which could feel like 36 C with the Humidex, for the next two days.

People should expect Thursday and Friday to be hot through the day and into the night, said Crawford Luke, a meteorologist with Environment Canada. Overnight lows are expected to be around 18 degrees, he said. 

"It's just looking like a hot couple of days," said Luke.

Luke said the heat wave was caused by high pressure that has brought hot air into the region. 

"As we get into the weekend, Friday night, Saturday, we're going to have a cold front that's going to move east out of the Prairies and into Northwestern Ontario," he said. 

With the cold front, showers and thunderstorms could happen Thursday night or Friday, said Luke. 

Luke recommended people take extra care to stay hydrated and take extra breaks from strenuous activity when outside in high heat. He also recommended doing outdoor work in the morning hours before temperatures peak, or delaying it until the weekend when things cool down. 

"It's probably a matter of checking in with loved ones, especially those who are susceptible to the heat, and also just paying attention to yourself and listening to your body," he said. 

Luke said it's important to find a way to bring your body temperature down when you get overheated.

"If you have the ability, get inside an air conditioned space to cool down or find shade under a tree or maybe even jump in the lake," he said. 

Many people in Kenora struggle to find an air-conditioned space, said Yvonne Bearbull, executive director of the Kenora Fellowship Centre. 

People who are unhoused are particularly vulnerable, as they have to carry all their belongings around outside from place to place while looking for somewhere to get out of the heat, she said. 

"We're a small drop-in centre, and we try our best to keep up with everybody that comes through," Bearbull said.