Malahat drivers faced record-breaking heat as traffic backed up on the mountain section of Highway 1 on Sunday (Aug. 24).

A handful of crashes and traditional Sunday summer traffic meant backups on the primary route connecting Greater Victoria and the rest of the Island, even as the region surpassed a daily heat record, according to data held by Environment Canada.

The Malahat area broke the newest record on the Island, hitting 30.2 C, topping the 29.8 daily record set in 2022. Up Island Nanaimo tied the oldest record, hitting a high of 33.3 set in 1958.

Campbell River, Courtenay and Comox all battled 2016 records, with Campbell River shaded the old 30 C temperature, hitting 30.2.

Comox and Courtenay both tied the 2016 record of 30.3.

While other areas of the province face heat warnin

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