Sechelt wildfire smoke hovers over Metro Vancouver (PHOTOS)

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

Temporary Post: This shows the skies over Vancouver and Harbour. Smoke is filling the sky from fire on Sechelt. @wolfelifemoments @gamewraith

A video posted by Cheryl Smith (@cherylsmithwv) on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:33pm PDT

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 Jul 3, 2015 at 8:22pm PDT

A band of smoke hangs over #vancouverbc tonight due to a wildfire in #anmore PS this is a bus stop #vancitybuzz #vancouverbc

A photo posted by AspiringMedia (@aspiringmedia) on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:03pm PDT

#vancouver #Vancitybuzz #sunset#English bay#beachday #city #Canada #superhot #clean #westend A photo posted by Trish Kovarik (@queentrish13) on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:19pm PDT

#vancouver #bc #canada #travelling #vancity #sunset #vancitybuzz #explorecanada #liveoutdoors #life #epic watching the sunset over Vancouver amazing way to finish first day

A photo posted by LAVO_46_ (@lavo_46_) on Jul 4, 2015 at 5:58am PDT

 

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 Jul 4, 2015 at 12:15am PDT

Hard to tire of sunsets like these #sunset #magical #vancouver #vancity #vancitybuzz #vancouverisawesome #yvr #exploreBC #exploreCanada #Canada #beach #mastershots #exklusiveshot #vansun360 #huffpostgram #huffpostBC #natgeotravel #travel #sunsetbeach

A photo posted by Andrée Mathieu Repta (@whyteroomphotography) on Jul 3, 2015 at 11:51pm PDT

sunset chaser II #summer #vancouver #chasingsunsets #electrabikes A photo posted by @la_solea on Jul 3, 2015 at 11:20pm PDT

Theres something about the water… #englishbay #sunsets #waterbaby #beachlife #ocean #nature #vancity #vancouver #vancitybuzz #vancouverisawesome #beautifulbc #explorebc #westcoast #goodvibes #summervibes #reflections #innerpeace #grateful #blessed #getoutside #magichour #dusk #ifreakinglovethisview

A video posted by Azelia (@azeliamanners) on Jul 3, 2015 at 10:30pm PDT

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 Jul 3, 2015 at 10:29pm PDT

A full moon rising #ig_worldclub #ig_sunsetshots #moon_of_the_day #sunrise_sunsets_aroundworld

A photo posted by Ryan Neale (@oh_my_gerbils) on Jul 3, 2015 at 10:21pm PDT

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