You might assume that the hazy skies over Metro Vancouver Thursday are due to B.C.’s wildfires, but the district says that’s not Canadian smoke.
According to the Metro Vancouver website, smoke from forest fires in Washington State is drifting over the border.
It says the air quality is currently sitting at “medium” or “moderate” — in other words, not bad enough to trigger an air quality advisory.
“Air quality advisories are issued when degraded regional air quality exceeds or is expected to exceed Metro Vancouver’s air quality objectives. Advisories contain information that describes the immediate issue, the impacts it may have, and what everyone can do to protect themselves and improve air quality,” the district’s website said.
A regional map shows air quality is the best in Richmond, Surrey, and Langley, and a little less clear along the mountains and into Hope.
Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources says it’s currently battling four fires it considers “large.”