Wildfire smoke likely to reach Lower Mainland as early as Friday
Wildfire smoke could reach parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as early as Friday and throughout the weekend.
Not to mention, an ongoing heat warning continues to threaten temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s.
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Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist tells Daily Hive that any smoke coming into the Lower Mainland could likely be from the coast of the province rather than from the Interior.
“There seems to be a fire in the Cascades, just south of Hope,” he explains in an interview. “And I see smoke coming around; it’s already getting areas up the valley like south of Agassiz.”
He adds that some smoke from the Interior could creep closer to BC’s south coast as well.
“You may even see some around today, just in the sense that it’s so close. It’s near Chilliwack.”
Metro Vancouver could also see wildfire smoke as early as Friday. Fortunately, it’s not expected to be anywhere near as severe as the Interior. A storm is also expected to reach inner parts of the province, bringing some much-needed rain through Sunday.
Lundquist stresses that at this point in time, “the biggest threat isn’t the smoke” but rather the heat. He’s urging all residents to strategize and plan in advance to beat the heat.
“Check in on the vulnerable,” he says. “Make sure that if you have a senior in your life or anybody that’s vulnerable living in a place that doesn’t have air conditioning, hotter exposure, that we check in on them.”
“Stay hydrated, get lots of water. If we’re overheated, seek cooler shelters, just any hours we can in a cooler environment.”
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