Orange air quality warning issued for parts of Fraser Valley
Published 12:23 pm Friday, August 21, 2026
An orange air quality warning has been issued for Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope.
The warning was issued by Metro Vancouver Regional District on Friday (Aug. 21) due to high fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke.
The City of Chilliwack’s air quality health index is currently set at 10+, which the city describes as “very high risk”.
IQAir’s air quality measurement is 96 for Chilliwack, 55 for Agassiz and 141 for Hope.
The measurement for Chilliwack is described by IQAir as “6.6 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value.”
Environment Canada reports a high of 32 C, which will feel like 36 C with humidity.
Metro Vancouver recommends residents check in on others who maybe more affected by the poor air quality. This includes people with lung, heart or other chronic conditions. It also includes pregnant people, infants, children, older adults and outdoor workers.
They also recommend that people keep windows and doors closed while running their air filtration systems.
If your home is smoky or too hot, Metro Vancouver recommends spending time in places with air conditioning.
To improve air quality within your home, use portable HEPA air cleaners or do-it-yourself box fan air cleaners.
If residents absolutely have to be outside, Metro Vancouver says well-fitted N95, KN95 and KF94 masks offer the most protection. Medical masks offer some protection from smoke inhalation, but single layer coverings like bandanas, scarfs or shirts offer none.