Resources and Webinars

Public Health and Weather Alerts

Extreme Heat and Air Quality Alerts

• Public Weather Alerts for British Columbia
• Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) - View hourly air quality readings.
• BC Heat Impacts Prediction System (BCHIPS) - Interactive map to support health protection during hot weather.

Wildfire Emergency Information

• Emergency Info BC

HealthLink BC - Extreme Heat and Heat-Related Illness

• Heat-related illness
• Beat the Heat

PreparedBC - Extreme Heat

• Be prepared for extreme heat
• Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide

Learn about Wildfire Smoke and Health

• BC Centre for Disease Control Wildfire Smoke Resources

Communicate with Tenants/Clients about Extreme Heat

Tenants/Clients

• Wellness Check-In Card for Tenants
• Tips to Cool Your Home: Resource for Building Operators
• Tips to Beat the Heat - Poster

Heat and Pets

• Heat and Pets: Hot Weather Do's and Don'ts
• Heat and Pets: Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion
• Keep Pets Cool Poster

Heat Safety Tips from Health Authorities

• Interior Health - Extreme Heat Events
• Vancouver Coastal Health - Extreme Heat Resources
• Vancouver Coastal Health - Heat Check-in Support Framework
• Island Health - Heat Safety
• Fraser Health - Heat Safety
• Fraser Health - Extreme heat and people experiencing homelessness: A primer for community organization
• Northern Health
• First Nations Health Authority
• National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health - Building Resilience to Extreme Heat Video
• National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health - Health Checks During Extreme Heat Events
   

Planning

Prepare for Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke (EHWS)​

• Extreme Heat Checklist for Building Operators - Provides an overview of activities for non-profit partners to take before or as an extreme heat event occurs

Prepare Buildings and Facilities to Address Extreme Heat

• Space Cooling Strategies - Strategies for cooling individual suites, common areas and entire building
• Cooling System Assessment Guide - Specifications guide for a permanent cooling system (heat pumps, PTACs, central air conditioning) for HVAC or engineering consultant
• Cooling System Specifications Form - Form to be provided after assessment process to be included in the request for a HVAC or engineering consultant
• Portable Air Cleaners for Wildfire Smoke - Guide sheet from BCDCD
• Air Conditioner Sizing Worksheet - Size short-term portable air conditioners for single rooms up to 2,500ft2
• Air Purifier Sizing Worksheet - Size short-term portable air purifiers for common rooms
• Guidance for Cleaner Air Spaces during Wildfire Smoke Events

Request Equipment

• If you are a non-profit housing provider in B.C. in need of extreme heat and wildfire smoke related equipment, please contact your NPPM/SHA to discuss funding support options. BC Housing will be maintaining extreme heat and wildfire smoke supplies in cases of emergency and supply shortages, we encourage our partners try to source equipment directly locally. If you are unable to source equipment directly, please email [email protected] with your request.

Webinars

2025

• BC Housing & BCNPHA: Extreme Heat & Wildfire Smoke Webinar (May 6, 2025)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (18 MB)
• BC Housing: Unsheltered Extreme Heat & Wildfire Smoke Webinar (May 14, 2025)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (5 MB)

2024

• BC Housing & BCNPHA: Extreme Heat & Wildfire Smoke Planning Webinar (May 8, 2024)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (18 MB)
• BC Housing: Heat Response for Unsheltered Individuals Webinar (July 16, 2024)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (5 MB)

2023

• BC Housing & BCNPHA: Extreme Heat & Wildfire Smoke: Essential Tools for Preparation Webinar (April 27, 2023)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (11 MB)

2022

• Lived Experience of Extreme Heat: What We Heard and Opportunities for Improvement (July 27, 2022)
  • Webinar Recording
• Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke: Essential Tools for Preparation and Protection (April 28, 2022)
  • Webinar Recording
  • Slide Deck (7 MB)