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Tuesday, June 29, saw Canada experiencing a new record-high of 49.6 degrees Celsius in Lytton, British Columbia.

UPDATE: For the third day in a row, #Lytton, British Columbia has set a new all-time record, hitting 49.6°C as of 5pm PT this afternoon, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada. #BCHeat #BCHeatwave #Heatwave pic.twitter.com/sgvl3yNmsx

— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) June 30, 2021

This follows days of scorching heat that have engulfed the Pacific North-West region, from Oregon in the U.S. to Canada’s Arctic territories, since Sunday, according to the BBC.

More than 100 casualties

AFP reported that at least 134 people have died since last Friday in the Vancouver area, according to numbers released by the city police department and the Royal Canadian Mounted police.

The Vancouver Police Department also said a vast majority of sudden deaths it has responded to since Friday were “related to the heat”.

#VPDNews: Vancouver Police are redeploying dozens of officers and are pleading for people to only call 9-1-1 during emergencies, as heat-related deaths have depleted front-line resources and severely delayed response times throughout the city. https://t.co/vjlLB9YmO2 pic.twitter.com/VqkE7juEtP

— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) June 29, 2021

Schools and Covid-19 vaccination centers have been closed since June 28 while emergency cooling centres opened across Canada, according to AFP.

Temporary misting stations and water coolers were also set up in Vancouver.

If you need to cool off @VanFireRescue have created a temporary misting station at Jackson Ave off East Cordova & Powell from 8.30am - 9pm today & tomorrow.

Full list of misting stations, water fountains and cooling centres around the city: https://t.co/CTOqj41MSa pic.twitter.com/dWggap71E1

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) June 28, 2021

Beaches and pools are packed, while emergency services, overwhelmed with calls, warned of delays for ambulances.

"Warmer than Dubai"

BBC reported that the all-time high temperatures broke an 84-year-old record in British Columbia.

For context, average summer high temperatures range from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius in Canada; the country is typically more well-known for its harsh winters, which can drop to -40 degrees Celsius.

According to AFP, Environment Canada's senior climatologist David Phillips told broadcaster CTV that the high temperatures were "pulverising" records.

"It's warmer in parts of western Canada than in Dubai."

The historic heat wave is reportedly part of a "heat dome" – a high-pressure ridge trapping warm air in the region, kind of like a lid on a cooking pot.

This is also affecting the American region of the Pacific Northwest, with cities like Portland, Oregon seeing power cables melting due to the extreme heat.

Top image via Getty Images