VANCOUVER: The western Canadian region on the Pacific coast has been gripped by heatwave over the weekend, with reports of increased wildfires.
Environment Canada said that temperatures in northern British Columbia were 8-10 degrees Celsius above normal, and record-high temperatures were monitored in four communities over the weekend, with the average high temperature hovering around 40.5 degrees Celsius, Xinhua reported.
There were 63 wildfires burning in the province, and the biggest fires were located in the province's northern areas, said local sources.
In downtown Vancouver, a coastal summer resort on the Pacific coast, the temperature recorded Sunday exceeded 32 degrees Celsius and heat wave is expected to continue through Wednesday.
The municipal government Monday ran an advisory suggesting people avoid strenuous outdoor activities in the mid-afternoon due to the poor air quality triggered by hot weather.