Metro Vancouver air quality advisory reissued amid ongoing B.C. wildfires

The smoky, hazy conditions in Metro Vancouver will be a little better Tuesday but it will likely be another rough day for those with respiratory issues.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has reissued a special air quality statement.

The warning was first put out Sept. 10 due to “high concentrations of fine particulate matter,” driven by smoke from wildfires burning in B.C. and in the U.S.

“At this time, it is not expected that air quality will significantly improve until there is a change in the weather. Smoke concentrations may vary widely across the region as winds and temperatures change, and as wildfire behaviour changes,” the agency said in its statement.

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• Metro Vancouver air quality varies amid ongoing wildfires

• B.C. wildfire smoke affecting air quality in Hope ‘should clear’ by end of day Monday

• New wildfire burning near Highway 1, southwest of Hope

While the air quality is expected to hit only ‘moderate’ risk levels Tuesday around Metro Vancouver and other parts of the Lower Mainland, conditions aren’t set to improve in the same way in the eastern Fraser Valley quite yet.

This is because the Flood Falls Trail wildfire burning near Hope continues to blanket the region with thick smoke.

“Smoke is mostly composed of fine particulate matter and the problem with this is these particles are so small that they can penetrate very deep in the respiratory system and cause issues,” Kyle Howe, an air quality analyst with the Metro Vancouver regional district, told CityNews Monday.

“(It’s) very important to listen to your body.”

Smoky conditions as seen in Hope, B.C. on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. (CityNews Image)

Experts say people who are vulnerable or considered high risk are recommended to “postpone or reduce outdoor physical activity” while fine particulate matter concentrations remain elevated. This is especially true if you start to feel any discomfort.

For some relief, people can seek indoor spaces with HEPA air filtration or A/C.

Meanwhile, as smoky conditions have set in for days, many people have opted to wear face masks to try to get some relief while outdoors.

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) notes “well-fitted respirators offer the most effective protection from fine particulate matter.” That includes masks like N95s, KN95s, and KF94s. Three-layer cloth or disposable masks offer less protection, while single layer masks “offer no protection.”

The BCCDC says “the best way to protect your health from wildfire smoke is to seek cleaner air.”

Wildfires burning in parts of B.C. include the Battleship Mountain fire, around Hudson’s Hope in central B.C. Meanwhile, another large fire is burning along the Canada-U.S. border near Manning Park.

-With files from Mike Lloyd and Martin MacMahon