First responders issue warning to would-be cliff jumpers in Lynn Canyon Park

A waterfall at Lynn Canyon Park is seen from the suspension bridge. (Shutterstock)

Ahead of the B.C. Day long weekend and with hot weather set to return, first responders in North Vancouver are urging people visiting Lynn Canyon to avoid an "extremely dangerous" activity in the popular park.

North Vancouver RCMP and the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service issued a reminder of the hazards of this activity Wednesday, along with a video they hope will help raise awareness among those considering cliff jumping.

"It is extremely dangerous to cliff jump in Lynn Canyon," said Fire Chief Mike Danks. "Not only are there underwater rock hazards not visible from above the surface, but there are also extremely strong currents. Even in the summer, the water is very cold and hypothermia can set in quickly."

Despite signs warning people of the hazards and fences set up to prevent access, people still go out of bounds – putting themselves at risk on the slippery and sometimes unstable cliffs, the warning notes.

The park, according to officials, draws half a million visitors per year and is the site of "countless rescues." In the last 50 years, more than 40 people have died. A man in his 20s died in the park earlier this month and an intoxicated cliff jumper was rescued days later.

Police will be patrolling Lynn Canyon, along with other parks in the district, in part, to enforce a bylaw that bans drinking alcohol in these places.