Air quality advisory issued for Metro Vancouver due to wildfire smoke

Metro Vancouver Regional District and Environment Canada have issued a joint air quality advisory for the Metro Vancouver region due to high concentrations of fine particulate matter caused by wildfire smoke elsewhere in the province.

“Persons with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted,” reads a statement by Metro Vancouver.

“Staying indoors and in air conditioned spaces helps to reduce fine particulate exposure. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.”

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Vancouverites have also been taking to social media about the smell of burning wood in the air:

The pilot on the way into Vancouver had to warning the passengers the smoke you will smell is not from inside the plane. #smokey #Vancouver

— Devin Reimer (@DevinReimer) July 5, 2015

Who doesn’t love the smell of burnt wood? #Vancouver #vancity #wildfires

— Cyrus Sepehr (@C_Sepehr96) July 5, 2015

Smoke and the smell of burning is everywhere in #Vancouver !! #BCwildfire

— Dima (@Dimatini) July 6, 2015

WOW, this is unreal, u’d think downtown Vancouver was on fire. Smoke is hazy in air & smell is terrible. Far worse than earlier! #GlobalBC

— Jason Tosca (@JTosca) July 6, 2015

It’s going to take forever to get the smell of camp fire out of Vancouver

— Rawr (@FknVancouver) July 6, 2015

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The advisory was issued after this morning’s wildfire smoke overcast that created eery rust-like, Martian conditions. Conditions improved somewhat by noon with the orange overcast dissipating, but smoggy conditions causing extremely poor visibility still persist.

The current advisory will continue until there is a change in the current weather. More sunny and hot weather is forecasted for Vancouver throughout the week.

This morning, smoke from wildfires in the B.C. interior blew down the valley and into the Metro Vancouver region.

Some of the smoke is also from the Sechelt wildfire 60 kilometres northwest of Vancouver. The blaze has not been contained – it has grown from five acres to 200 acres within just four days.

As of today, there are over 100 wildfires in B.C. larger than 25 acres in size.

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Photo comparisons: View of Metro Vancouver from downtown Vancouver looking east, towards the North Shore Mountains, Burrard Inlet, Ironworkers Second Narrows Memorial Brige and Burnaby Mountain.

July 5 at 5 p.m.

July 28