Smoke from the province’s wildfires has made its way into the Smithers, promoting Environment Canada to issue an alert for the region. Smoke is causing poor air quality and reducing visibility.
Areas also covered by this bulletin include: 100 Mile, Arrow Lakes, Boundary, Bulkley Valley and The Lakes Northwest (including Smithers), Bulkley Valley and The Lakes Southeast (including Burns Lake), Cariboo North, Cariboo South, Chilcotin, East Columbia, East Kootenay, Elk Valley, Fraser Canyon, Kinbasket, Kootenay Lake, Kootenay Park, Nicola, North Columbia, North Thompson, Okanagan, Prince George, Shuswap, Similkameen, Slocan Lake, South Thompson, West Columbia, West Kootenay, Yellowhead, and Yoho Park.
The special bulletin advises to avoid strenuous outdoor activities. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider: difficulty in breathing, chest pain or discomfort, and sudden onset of cough or irritation of airways. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
For more information on current air quality, see: www.bcairquality.ca.