Smoke from the 341 wildfires burning around the province seeped into the Southern Interior Monday, and it’s expected to linger.
Environment Canada said the Okanagan, Shuswap, Boundary and Thompson regions are expected to be affected by wildfire smoke in the next 24 to 48 hours.
“Smoke is widespread across the province,” the warning from the province reads. “Significant improvements are expected in smoke concentrations over the next 24 hours as westerly winds move across the province moving smoke east. Expect smoke to linger in valleys and near to active fires.”
So far, Kamloops has the worst air quality, listed on Environment Canada as a 10-plus, or very high risk. The North Okanagan is a four, with the expectation it will rise to a five in days ahead, and the Central Okanagan is the same. Follow this link for the complete summary.
The fine particles in wildfire smoke pose the main health risk and as smoke levels increase, so too do health risks.
The latest health and medical news
emailed to you every Sunday.
Get weekly health news
“People more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke include seniors, pregnant women and pregnant people, people who smoke, infants and young children, people who work outdoors, people involved in strenuous outdoor exercise and people with an existing illness or chronic health condition,” the province said.
“Those who are more likely to be impacted should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors or seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.”
Symptoms can include milder and more common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, as well as serious but less common symptoms such as chest pains or severe cough.
Residents are advised to limit time outdoors. When indoors, keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. When there is an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool. Always seek out and follow health guidance from local authorities.