Wildfire smoke and scorching temperatures are forcing many Canadians indoors this week, with large swaths of Central Canada, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan under air quality alerts and heat warnings. The double whammy of hazardous air and extreme heat is disrupting daily life for residents who are being advised to stay inside when possible.

Editor’s Note: It’s another stark reminder of how climate change is making extreme weather events—like wildfires and heatwaves—more frequent and intense. For people in affected areas, this isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a serious health risk, especially for vulnerable groups. The story highlights how these overlapping crises are becoming a recurring summer reality for many Canadians.

Heat health alerts are like early warning systems for extreme temperatures—they kick in when it's dangerously hot or cold, giving people a heads-up to take precautions. The service flags conditions that could harm your health, helping you stay safe during heatwaves or cold snaps.

Editor’s Note: Extreme weather isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be deadly, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly or those with chronic illnesses. Knowing how these alerts work helps people prepare, whether that’s staying hydrated in a heatwave or bundling up during a freeze. It’s a small but crucial tool in keeping communities safe as weather patterns get more unpredictable.

A new study points a finger at fossil fuel emissions for worsening last week's brutal European heat wave, connecting it directly to around 1,500 deaths. Researchers say climate change turbocharged the extreme temperatures, making the event deadlier than it would’ve been otherwise.

Stats Canada just dropped a report showing that as heat waves get worse and more frequent, more Canadians are cranking up their AC. But here’s the catch—some households still don’t have it, whether because of cost, housing type, or other barriers. The data paints a clearer picture of who’s left sweating it out and why.