UPDATE:
The air quality advisory ended Wednesday morning, meaning restrictions on woodstove use in Smithers has ended.
PM2.5 (particulate matter) concentrations were still above 25 micrograms per cubic metre -- 33 at 9 a.m. -- but were forecast to decrease throughout the day.
Air quality advisory
The B.C. Ministry of Health and Northern Health have issued an air quality advisory for Smithers.
The advisory began Monday morning and was extended Tuesday. As of 11 a.m. the air quality health index dropped from its high status overnight down to moderate.
Smithers bylaw 1520 restricts the use of wood burning appliances during air quality advisories: 6a: "No person shall use a wood-burning appliance at any time when an air quality advisory is in effect, except to heat premises that are equipped with no heating appliance or facilities other than the wood burning appliance."
The advisory says persons with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted. Staying indoors and in air conditioned spaces helps to reduce fine particulate exposure. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
Real-time air quality observations and information regarding the health effects of air pollution can be found at www.bcairquality.ca.
Smithers Air Quality Advisory by The Interior News on Scribd