Smoke from northern AB and BC fires prompts air quality advisory for Robson Valley

By Laura Keil

Smoke from major fires in the Peace River and Northern Alberta regions will sock in much of BC including the Robson Valley this week, as hot, dry conditions fuel the fires and winds carry smoke south.

According to firesmoke.ca smoke will drift southward between Tuesday and Thursday, gradually worsening in particulate matter.

An air quality advisory has been issued for Prince George and the northeast regions of B.C., including Fort Nelson, the B.C. Peace region, Williston, McGregor and Yellowhead, due to wildfire smoke.

This smoke is travelling southward from fires north of Fort St. John, including the Donnie Creek (G80280), Red Creek (G80223) and Stoddart Creek (G80291) wildfires, as a result of the wind shift associated with the dry cold front that moved across the northeast yesterday afternoon.

Smoke and wind are expected to continue over the next 24-72 hours.

Tips to reduce your smoke exposure

• Smoke levels may be lower indoors but will still be elevated, so stay aware of your symptoms
  even when you are indoors.
• Running a commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter can improve
  indoor air quality in the room where the device is located.
• If you have a forced air heating/cooling system in your home, it may help to change the
  filter and set the fan to run continuously.
• Reduce indoor air pollution sources such as smoking, burning incense, and frying foods.
• If travelling in a car with air conditioning, keep the windows up and the ventilation set to
  recirculate.
• If you are very sensitive to smoke, consider moving to another location with cleaner air,
  but be aware that conditions can change rapidly.
• Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from
  short-term exposure to air pollution.

For more information, check out the following resources:

• The BC Wildfire Service public map for local fire conditions,
• The B.C. Air Quality website for current advisories and smoke forecasts,
• The FireSmoke Canada website for current smoke conditions,
• The DriveBC website for current road conditions and closures or delays due to visibility and/or wildfire, and
• The Government of Canada’s weather information and public alerts website for local alerts and special weather statements.

For more updates on the current wildfire situation, including full incident details for current Wildfires of Note, please visit BCWildfire.ca.