Heavy wildfire smoke moves into Nicola Valley

MERRITT – Heavy smoke continued to billow into the sky from the Brunswick Creek wildfire burning north of Boston Bar in the Fraser Canyon Tuesday evening.

A wall of heavy smoke was pushed into the Nicola Valley area by prevailing winds through the afternoon.  While the menacing looking skies would suggest otherwise, no new fires were reported in the Merritt area today.

The Brunswick Creek wildfire is listed at 1,800 hectares in size and has led to four evacuation orders and two evacuation alerts in the Fraser Canyon. It has also caused the closure of Highway 1 through the canyon.

The BC Wildfire Service says hot, dry weather in combination with windy conditions whipped up the blaze Tuesday, leading to the heavy smoke.

The smoke also smothered parts of Kamloops Tuesday evening.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, smoke from wildfires is filled with small particles and can travel deep into your lungs, causing irritation and inflammation. It can lead to a sore throat, eye irritation, phlegm production, wheezy breathing and headaches. Those with pre-existing chronic lung and heart conditions are at a higher risk. So are pregnant women, infants and small children and the elderly. You can protect yourself from the smoke by staying indoors with your windows shut and drinking lots of water.