Smoke and haze from a large wildfire 60 kilometres northwest of Vancouver is hovering over the region, contributing to deteriorating air quality conditions.
High winds have caused the Sechelt wildfire to grow from just five acres on Wednesday to nearly 90 acres by Friday evening. Two helicopters, two water bombers and ground crews have been deployed to combat the fire, but little progress has been made with containing the fire.
Approximately 20 residences near the blaze are on evacuation alert.
Over 100 wildfires are currently burning across the province. Tinder dry conditions and the continued forecast of hot and dry weather prompted provincial officials yesterday to issue a complete province-wide ban on all campfires, fireworks and open burning.
On the same day, the fire danger rating in Vancouver, including Stanley Park, was upgraded to ‘extreme’.
Haze and smoke over Metro Vancouver
Vancouver is looking very sad this evening. A thick pall of smoke as far as the eye can see in both directions hovers over her. Reminding us all to be aware of the consequences of carelessness with fire. This is coming from the Island of Sechelt which is now undergoing areas of evacuation. So tragic. #mustbevancouver #huffpostbc #vancitybuzz #georgiastraight #inVCM #huffpostbc #vancitybuzz #mustbevancouver #georgiastraight A photo posted by Cheryl Smith (@cherylsmithwv) on
#vancouver #Vancitybuzz #sunset#English bay#beachday #city #Canada #superhot #clean #westend A photo posted by Trish Kovarik (@queentrish13) on
Smoke and haze from #Sechelt fire streaming into the lower mainland thanks to northwesterly winds #yvr pic.twitter.com/ZXGCPzgSMp
— Johanna Wagstaffe (@JWagstaffe) July 4, 2015
An excellent eve for an #EnglishBay #Swim. Smoke from Sechelt #forestfires making an eerie sky. Keep safe all! pic.twitter.com/cxjKU4iV0c
— PaulGallant CHE,MHK (@HealthWorksBC) July 4, 2015
Smoke from Sechelt fire starting to cover the north shore mountains. pic.twitter.com/RzNe6X3xbH
— Anthony (@eastsidedads) July 4, 2015
View from #Kitsilano of smoke from #secheltfire #sechelt spreading into downtown #vancouver pic.twitter.com/n3Enaw7HXN
— Elvira Lount (@elviralount) July 4, 2015
ちょうど太陽の沈む方向の5~60km先のSecheltってところで山火事があって、その煙がバンクーバーにも流れてきて、ある意味幻想的な夕焼けになってる。 pic.twitter.com/SXEgdyO3rs
— シバタカズマサ (@SIVA_ver0) July 4, 2015
Beautiful sunset tonight. Courtesy of the wild fires out in Sechelt way. pic.twitter.com/ogwDL1qKE7
— Bryn Morgan Williams (@brynmw) July 4, 2015
View from #Kitsilano of smoke from #secheltfire #sechelt spreading into #Vancouver #westvancouver pic.twitter.com/opfSw7FhYX
— Elvira Lount (@elviralount) July 4, 2015
#smoke from #Sechelt #BCWildfire over #HorseshoeBay pic.twitter.com/WfMMv49W34
— Julie Bowman (@jewelbo) July 4, 2015
A perfect Friday evening spent at the beach enjoying a beautiful sunset with the girls @kj182 @keh1583 @kacijade4. #girlsnight #beach #fridaynight #sunset #beautifulbc #englishbay #westendyvr #explorebc #hellobc #summer #summertime #vancitybuzz #vancouverisawesome #Vancouver #bc #Canada A photo posted by @steffied30 on
sunset chaser II #summer #vancouver #chasingsunsets #electrabikes A photo posted by @la_solea on
So I can feel loved without you here. I’ll take that path. #Wildfire #Sunset #VancouverBC #ExploreBC #Amazing #VancouverConventionCentre #RedSky #IGersInVancouver #Manila #RisingMasters #CityLimitless #VanCityBuzz #BurrardInlet #StanleyPark #Reflections #WhereFeetMayFail #Oceans A photo posted by Juan M. Sanchez (@j9224) on
Source of smoke: the Sechelt fire
#wildfires near #sechelt @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/JBwMtgmRSg
— Marc Leduc (@heliwrenchmarc) July 4, 2015
#wildfire in #sechelt growing bigger. pic.twitter.com/EycaBOfoak
— Marc Leduc (@heliwrenchmarc) July 4, 2015
Sechelt fire from the beach at the Porpoise Bay provincial campground. pic.twitter.com/WobHexCjMG
— John Farrer (@JohnSelma) July 4, 2015
Spectacular and scary – #ForestFire near #Sechelt, #BC pic.twitter.com/KreP1ITNSl
— Dmitri Bagh (@DmitriAtSafe) July 4, 2015
#sechelt #forestfire jul 3 2015
39 Hectors, miss those #MarsWaterBombers#smokey some smoke alarms at neighbours pic.twitter.com/suoKRUq4hA— Scott Bleackley (@folkstone) July 4, 2015
Fires still burning in Sechelt BC #fire @GlobalBC @CBCNews pic.twitter.com/0eOKlCSHWv
— Diane Mueller (@dmueller) July 4, 2015
View of the #Sechelt fire from Highway 101… @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/Oc0ZHVw89n
— James Lewis (@JLewisCTV) July 4, 2015
Sechelt fire from downtown #lantzville. Smoke runs all the way over to Howe sound. pic.twitter.com/o81XPCTsQ6
— Douglas Parkhurst (@dparkhurst1) July 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/jewelbo/status/617128115647549440