Record heat blasts western Canada

Blazing temperatures have Canadians concerned about the effects of climate change on a country bordering the Arctic.

British Columbia closed schools, issued flood warnings from glacier melts, and urged people to stay indoors because of extreme heat that pushed temperatures in the western Canadian province to a national record. Social media posts with tips on staying cool without air conditioners went viral on Monday in a province where less than 40 percent of homes have air conditioning. Lytton, a town in central British Columbia roughly 200km (124 miles) north of Vancouver, reported a temperature of 46.6°C (115.88°F) on Sunday. Prior to the weekend, the historical high in Canada was 45°C, set in Saskatchewan in 1937, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.