Wildfire smoke and air quality warnings make their way to B.C.'s Lower Mainland
The Metro Vancouver Regional District has upgraded an air quality warning for the eastern Fraser Valley on Tuesday, urging people residing in the area to avoid outdoor activities.
As of the afternoon of Aug. 4, an orange alert — indicating a "very high health risk" — is in place for Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope.
It was previously at yellow, indicating a high health risk, with officials asking people to reduce outdoor exercise.
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"The joke we often like to make is if you're ever looking for an excuse for an off day for your workout routine, this is it — you can take that break today," said Christopher Lam, president of the B.C. Lung Foundation.
A woman jogs along the seawall near Burrard Bridge in Vancouver on Tuesday, as smoke lingers from wildfires. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
It comes as major wildfires across the province have forced thousands of evacuations, while blanketing some regions in smoke, greying out skies and tinting the sun a red-orange colour.
Metro Vancouver said wildfire complexes near Clinton and Boston Bar — some of which have been burning since the start of July — are to blame for widespread smoky skies in the Lower Mainland.
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"I'm asthmatic, so I'm a little worried about going out too often in this," said Diana Pentland, who was going out for a walk in Chilliwack when she spoke to CBC News.
A seaplane takes off from Burrard Inlet on Tuesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Air quality picture across B.C.
According to the province's Air Quality Health Index map, there is a moderate health risk in much of the Okanagan, where the fast spread of the Bradley Creek and Quilpituk fires near Vernon has forced thousands of people to evacuate.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Kamloops is recording a moderate health risk, while the rating in the eastern Fraser Valley is very high risk.
Much of the province is at low risk, including the Metro Vancouver area, where smoky skies were a feature Tuesday morning.
Commuters are pictured on Highway 99 during the morning sunrise in Surrey on Tuesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
However, things may not stay this way.
"A part of it has to do with the way the smoke has travelled, and it is starting to come down," said Lam.
"You will see over the next couple of days — unfortunately for us living in Metro Vancouver — that pollution level will start to spike on those monitors."
The province's Air Quality Health Index map shows the readings at various weather stations on Tuesday evening. The most severe ratings are for the eastern Fraser Valley, followed by the central Okanagan and the central Fraser Valley. (B.C. Air Quality Health Index)
This article, written by Steven Chua, was originally published for CBC News. With files from Ruby Cornish and Sohrab Sandhu.