What’s usually a postcard-perfect mountain view in B.C.’s Southern Interior is now obscured by a thick haze, as smoke blankets the region.
An air quality advisory remains in effect for much of the area, including the Central, South, and North Okanagan, as wildfire smoke continues to drift in.
“We’re seeing some smoke out there — it’s not particularly problematic overall,” said Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with Environment Canada. “But under those dense smoke plumes, the health risk increases.”
The smoke isn’t just coming from nearby fires. Proctor says much of it is being pushed in from wildfires burning south of the border.
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“We’re seeing smoke generated from eastern Oregon and eastern Washington at this point, along with local generation from the Peachland fire,” he explained. “There’s a lot of smoke out there, and the biggest impact will be where it gets concentrated.”
The current air quality advisory is expected to remain in place for the next 24 to 48 hours. While cooler temperatures could help, Proctor says real relief depends on the weather.
“We need to cool things off, increase humidity, and get those fires put out for the season,” he said. “But we need precipitation to really accelerate that process.”
In the meantime, residents — especially those with health concerns — are being urged to take precautions and limit time outdoors.
“If you have a compromised respiratory system — if you suffer from asthma, lung cancer, any condition that affects your breathing — you’re going to feel the impact of this smoke,” said Proctor.
And this kind of smoke might not be a rare event anymore. According to Proctor, late-season fire activity like this could be part of a longer-term trend.
“Years ago, I could’ve said this was rare,” he said. “But now, with what we’ve seen over the last number of wildfire seasons, fire weather is starting earlier and stretching well into the fall.”
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