Smoke-filled air envelopes southern B.C., as provincial wildfires turn deadly

Metro saw elevated particulate in 2012 – with readings briefly spiking towards but not above 100 – as a result of smoke from wildfires in Siberia.

Global BC meteorologist Yvonne Schalle.

“I think the smoke is here for the night and we’ll see what happens”.

“We started seeing smoke on the ground as well as reports of people smelling it, and at that time we measured a 2.5 level fine particulate matter which is quite high and we issued an air quality advisory at that point”.

Metro Vancouver says the advisory is expected to continue until there is a change in the weather.

The department says staying either inside or in air-conditioned spaces can reduce exposure to air particulates.

There were about 180 wildfires burning across B.C., as of Sunday evening.

But nearby fires are also burning on Vancouver Island and on the Sunshine Coast near Sechelt.

“Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes and lung or heart disease”, the city warns.

Thousands of people have been forced from their homes or must be ready to go on a moment’s notice as fires burn across the province.

Environment Canada predicted slightly cooler temperatures and modest improvements in visibility and air quality but stated smoke aloft was expected to linger for some time.

The Air Quality Health Index, which measures the risk to health on a scale from 1 to 10, showed air quality was worst in northwest areas of Metro Vancouver as of 6 p.m. Sunday. An earlier one lasting two days in June was due to ground-level ozone.

A heavy blanket of stagnant grey haze has settled over British Columbia’s south coast as winds push smoke south from the many forest fires burning across the province.