New Westminster and Burnaby residents can breathe a little easier tonight.
Metro Vancouver has lifted an air quality advisory for the metro region and the Central Fraser Valley that has been in effect since Sept. 10. The air has seen high concentrations of fine particulate matter thanks to smoke from wildfires burning on both sides of the border: near Manning Park, outside of Hope and in Washington state.
A statement from Metro Vancouver notes that air quality has gradually improved, but local haze is likely to persist through tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 15). A more substantial change in the weather is forecast for Friday, which is expected to further improve air quality.
"While the advisory has ended for portions of the airshed, fine particulate matter concentrations are still somewhat elevated," the statement notes.
As of 4 p.m., all local air quality monitoring stations for New Westminster and Burnaby were sitting at a 3 (or low risk) on the air quality health index. (The lower the number, the lower the associated health risk.)
The air quality advisory is continuing for the Eastern Fraser Valley, including Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope.
Exposure to the high concentrations of fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke is a particular concern for those with underlying conditions such as lung or heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or diabetes. Those who are pregnant, older adults, and infants and children are also more at risk.
How to keep an eye on the air quality in Metro Vancouver
- You can find current Metro Vancouver air quality readings at its online AirMap site.
- You can find wildfire smoke forecasts at Canada's FireWork National Wildfire Smoke Prediction system.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
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