The BC Coroners Service is reporting 16 suspected heat-related deaths during the heatwave between July 26 and August 3 this year.

It says six of those deaths were in the Interior, second only to Fraser Health which reported eight. There was one death in Vancouver Coastal and Island Health with none reported in Northern Health.

Data shows July 29 was the deadliest day with five deaths, followed by July 30 with three, and July 27 and August 2 with two each. There was one death each on July 26, July 28, July 31, and August 3 with no deaths reported on the BC Day Holiday Monday, Aug. 1.

The Coroners say these deaths – which all involved people aged 40 to over 90, with six in their 70s – are considered preliminary until investigations into each case conclude.

These numbers pale in comparison to the death toll during last year’s heat dome where 619 people died during the seven-day period from June 25 to July 1. Eighty four of those deaths were in the Interior, with 17 in Kamloops alone.

The hot spell linked to the deaths this year did not warrant the declaration of an extreme heat emergency, but the province began rolling out its new heat response system because temperatures were high during the day with little relief at night, potentially putting people at risk.

– With files from The Canadian Press