NANAIMO REGION
Fire service review in RDN to cost $52K Independent consultant will review fire departments within the Regional District of Nanaimo rural areas. A3
NATION & WORLD
Oilers take McDavid avid
Attacks leave 60 dead on three continents
Edmonton makes talented teen en the top choice in the National Hockey League entry draft
More than 30 are killed at Tunisian resort; attacks in France and Kuwait likely also by militants. A6
Sports, B2
The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Saturday, June 27, 2015
HEAT WAVE Soaring temperatures mean plenty of fun, but can also pose problems
Braydon Burton, 8, practises his water cannon-firing skills at the Harewood Centennial water park on Friday. [JULIE CHADWICK/DAILY NEWS]
Keeping cool a challenge as mercury rises
T
he heat is on. Temperatures of 30° C and even higher are expected in Nanaimo this weekend as a high pressure system fuels a heat wave over the Island, southern B.C. and other parts of Western Canada. It’s a glorious way for sun worshippers to kick off summer; but the flip side of clear, sunny skies and hot weather can also mean sunburn, heat stroke or other serious medical conditions. There is also increased risk of forest fires. While Nanaimo will be spared the extreme heat of the southern Interior, where the mercury is expected to reach the high 30s, Island records may be broken. An outright ban on campfires also goes into effect across most of the Island today. “It means no open fires,” said Marg Drysdale, a Coastal Fire Centre officer. It includes all public lands south of the Nimpkish Valley in the north Island. The fire danger ratings range from high north of Nanaimo to extreme in Cedar and areas
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Sunny High 31, Low 18 Details A2
south, as well as west in the Port campground on Gabriola Island. Alberni area. The campfire ban also Drysdale said all regional districts applies on private land outside of have similar bans in effect across municipalities. Local governments the Island and around the coastal are also on side. A complete fire region, which includes ban on fires in Nanaimo in the southern mainland begins at noon today. to north of Powell River. “With the recent notice Island Health urges from the province of an people to use sunscreen, increase to the fire risk, wear a hat and stay cool, Nanaimo Fire Rescue is especially the very young advising residents there and very old, along with is now a complete burnthose with medical condiing ban in the City of tions. Friends and relatives Nanaimo,” said Capt. Ennis are asked check on those Mond of Nanaimo Fire Res- Darrell who may be at risk. Bellaart cue, fire loss and prevenStay hydrated by drinktion, in a statement. “We ing lots of water, but not Reporting want to remind residents coffee, sweetened or alcoto be vigilant and report holic beverages. any fire activity quickly.” And if possible, stay in an The Regional District of air-conditioned environment. But Nanaimo campfire ban at Horne that’s not a choice for some of the Lake Regional Park campground homeless, who have to search out also starts at noon today. As in shade to stay cool. Nanaimo, the RDN has made it “Most of us can go into air-condiillegal to smoke at all and communtioned malls, but a lot of them get ity parks and trails. chased out,” said John Horn, city A campfire ban is already in effect social planning manager. at Descanso Bay Regional Park While emergency funding pro-
vides emergency shelter for the homeless in winter, the same doesn’t exist for extreme heat. “We really don’t do anything different,” said Rob Anderson, Salvation Army Nanaimo community services director. “It could affect us, because our building is air conditioned — people can come in. We’re full all the time, anyway.” Expect water parks to be in heavy use this weekend. All three — Harewood Community Park, Deverill Square and Departure Bay — are open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and city parks officials expect them to be busy. “All our beaches are open,” said Al Britton, city parks operations manager. If the mercury hits 33, it’s a record-breaker. The highest temperature recorded for this time of year was 32.1° C, set in 2006, according to Environment Canada. Darrell.Bellaart @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4235
Inmate in notorious escape is shot dead
Same-sex marriage now legal all over U.S.
Richard Matt shot by a Border Patrol agent. Officers were trucking in lights to where David Sweat was believed to be hiding, not far from where Matt was killed. » Nation & World, A9
Vote was narrow — 5-4 — but majority opinion was clear and firm: “The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry.” » Nation & World, A7
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