Just finished day three under the Heat Dome. Yesterday here in LEAFS SUCK, we got to 30 Celsius with the humidity making it feel like 39. Which is a break from the previous two days where the humidex reading broke 40.
It’s a bit disjointing to hear the radio stations harp on about the high temperatures. Yes, it is really hot - for here. Not outside of our experience, it regularly gets that hot in Toronto - just never while it is still officially spring. And we certainly do have issues with it too. We have a lot of rental buildings from the 70s and earlier - without AC. Towers where temperatures are even higher than the surroundings and with no reasonable means to cool them. It’s bad. We also have a not insignificant homeless population that is increasing in size. These people are undoubtedly facing real challenges.
But - this level of heat is basically what Gaza has had for the past month. Less humid, sure - but also without any rain at all. Or much in the way of fresh water supplies. Or any air condition at all. Instead, they have air strikes and widespread starvation. Toronto might have a sizable homeless population numbering in the thousands - but Gaza’s ranks of homeless is well over a million. Fortunately, there hasn’t been a heat wave there yet. But we’re at the start of it now - summer in the Middle East. With water scarcity, no security, the constant threat of military action, no electricity, very little food or medical supplies, and the only shelter being tents or the bombed out remains of the city.
It’s going to get worse.
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