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It’s largely been a summer of blue skies for British Columbia’s Lower Mainland this year, but that’s changed with a wave of wildfire smoke rolling into the region.
The Metro Vancouver Regional District has issued an air quality advisory for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley due to elevated levels of fine particulate matter causing hazy conditions across the region.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control and Forests Minister Ravi Parmar are scheduled to provide an update on wildfires and smoke at 2 p.m. Global News will stream the briefing live here.
The particulate is coming from fires near Hope and Whistler, in the Cariboo and in northern Washington state, with wind patterns driving the smoke to the South Coast.
As of noon on Wednesday, the Air Quality Health Index for Vancouver, the North Shore, Burnaby and New Westminster was listed at 10-plus, or “very high risk.” Richmond and Delta were listed at a 7, or “high risk,” while southern and eastern parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley were listed as 3, or “low risk.”
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Metro Vancouver said the air quality advisory is expected to remain in place for several days, until there is a change in weather patterns.
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“As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events,” the advisory warns.
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The New Westminster School District has responded to the advisory by moving all outdoor activities inside as a precaution.
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Seniors, pregnant people, young children and people who are ill or have a chronic health condition and those who work outdoors are at the highest risk.
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Metro Vancouver advises people to keep doors and windows closed where temperatures allow, and to use a good-quality air filter in their ventilation system.
People who must be outside can protect themselves with a well-fitting respirator-type mask, such as a NIOSH-certified N95 mask or equivalent.
As of Wednesday, there were 156 active wildfires across British Columbia.
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