Air quality advisory in effect for Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley
An air quality advisory is in effect for parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as wildfire smoke and high temperatures create hazy, potentially hazardous conditions.
Metro Vancouver issued the advisory Wednesday due to elevated levels of fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone and the regional district says it is expected to remain in effect until a change in weather.
"Smoke concentrations may vary widely across the region as winds, temperatures, and wildfire behaviour changes," the advisory says.
According to Geoff Doerkson, an air quality planner with Metro Vancouver, this is not the earliest in the summer an advisory has been issued due to wildfire smoke.
He says that record was set in 2009, although in recent years, the frequency of advisories has increased.
"Six of the last eight summers, our region has been significantly impacted by wildfire smoke," Doerkson said. "And our climate projections indicate this will only become more frequent and severe with the changing climate."
The advisory covers northeast and southeast Metro Vancouver, which includes Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, the North Shore, the tri-cities and parts of Richmond and Delta. It also covers the central and eastern parts of the Fraser Valley which includes Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack and Hope.
A map from the regional district shows risk ranging from moderate to high. People in the region are urged to consider reducing or postponing strenuous outdoor activity, especially if they are at higher risk.
Those with health conditions like asthma, COPD, lung disease or heart disease are particularly vulnerable, as are younger children, those who are pregnant and seniors. Outdoor workers and people who are homeless or otherwise "socially marginalized" are also at heightened risk.
The regional district says "both cool and clean air" are important, and encourages people to seek out public air-conditioned spaces if they do not have AC at home.
Anyone with symptoms including chest discomfort, shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing is advised to seek medical attention.
Wiht files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Miljure.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.