Wildfire smoke brings ‘low risk’ air quality warning

An Air Quality Warning has been issued by the Ministry of Environment for several areas across the province.

The Regions of BC highlighted on the map – including the Okanagan- are being impacted or are likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24-48 hours. The warning was issued around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

The smoke is coming from wildfires near Lytton, Harrison Lake and parts of northern Washington and Montana.

The Central Okanagan has a forecasted Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) of 3 for Monday and Tuesday, which means even those populations at higher risk can still enjoy usual outdoor activity. Only once the rating gets to 4 should people consider modifying their outdoor activity.

However, people more likely to be negatively impacted by outdoor air pollution should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors or seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.

This includes people aged 65 and older, pregnant individuals, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes, and people who work outdoors.

During a wildfire, smoke conditions can change quickly over short distances and can vary considerably hour-by-hour.

Environment Canada is reporting the Merritt area is also at a very low risk of wildfire smoke as numbers range from 1-3 today through Thursday.

Monitor the situation for any wildfires near your area at EmergencyInfoBC. Follow all emergency announcements relevant to your location.