Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc has cancelled all events in the community until next Monday because of the extreme heat in the area.

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir says the decision was made based on the advice of the First Nations Health Authority.

“Currently there are more risks from heat than there are from COVID 19. This heat wave is potentially very dangerous, and we are asking all to be very careful,” she said. “If anyone wants to access TteS during any currently planned events [between June 28th to July 5th], they will be doing so at their own risk.”

Casimir says Chief and Council have also closed the range at Tk’emlúps due to the extreme fire risk.

She is also reminding people to conserve water by following the water restrictions that are in place until the end of August by using water for essential needs only.

“No sprinkling is allowed between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 pm on any given day,” Casimir added. “Even numbered addresses may sprinkle only on even numbered days. Odd numbered addresses may sprinkle only on odd numbered days.”

Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian is asking people to be careful noting we are in “unchartered territory” when it comes to extreme temperatures.

“I just want to reiterate to the public that this is not a novelty. This is dangerous. We are well beyond the temperature extremes for the City of Kamloops. And we are at a stage right now where there will be loss of life in our community as a result of this heat,” Christian said.

“The temperature extremes in Kamloops were minus-40 or plus-40. We are well into unchartered territory here now. And the infrastructure that we built this city on really wasn’t designed for this. So let’s slow down, be cautious, and do all of the things that we know how to do.”

All campfires are banned in the province as of noon today, though many Kamloops area campsites enacted their own bans. That ban will stay in place until Oct. 15.

As of 11 a.m. today, the Sparks Lake Fire is estimated to be 4,000 hectares in size.