If you’ve been brave enough to leave your home in Vancouver today and are wondering about the air quality, so were we.
Thankfully, we got some answers from Metro Vancouver Regional District about why it feels like a smoke pit today and when conditions may improve.
As of 12:30 p.m. today, Vancouver was ranked 44th among major cities for air quality on IQ Air, with a moderate reading. The primary pollutant is listed as PM2.5, or fine particulate matter in the air that’s less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter.
Earlier this morning, Vancouver’s air quality was slightly worse, ranking as high as 39 for the worst among major cities worldwide.
Thankfully, Metro Vancouver Regional District shared that this shouldn’t be a problem over the next few days.
According to Metro Vancouver’s Air Quality team, the smoke and hazy conditions are likely coming from a wildfire in Bear Gulch, which is in Washington State, that is currently drifting towards the region, “which is causing slightly elevated fine particulate matter (small particles in the air that may affect human health) concentrations.”
That corroborates the analysis on IQ Air.
The area where the fire is occurring in Washington State is about a six-hour drive from Vancouver.
“This afternoon, winds are forecast to change direction, which could help move smoke away from the region. Smoke models are not predicting significant widespread smoke impacts in the region in the next few days.”
Metro Vancouver notes that while air quality may be poor in some areas, an air quality advisory is not expected to be issued.
“Weather will remain sunny today and tomorrow. Metro Vancouver staff are closely watching conditions since fire behaviour can change quickly.”
While the changing winds will help push some of that gross air away from the region, Vancouver is also in for a chance of showers every day between Saturday and Tuesday next week, which could help.
ECCC
Earlier this month, Vancouver had the worst air quality in the world compared to major cities.
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