Metro Vancouver has issued its first air quality advisory in close to two weeks, though a significant change in weather over the next 24 hours could clean what ails the south coast.
While air quality and particulate matter levels are lower than the nightmarish smoke cover seen in August, a noticeable haze is likely to continue.
Thursday was the first day in two weeks the North Shore mountains weren't in plain view from the Courier office in Mount Pleasant.
The air quality in northwestern Metro Vancouver, the part of the region Vancouver sits in, measured four out of 10 as of 11 a.m. Thursday morning.
Three large fires continue to burn in the coastal region, affecting Vancouver’s air quality. Two fires near the Village of Zeballos on northern Vancouver Island measure more than 400 hectares. A fire near Tweedsmuir Park measures more than 300,000 hectares in size.
Thursday’s advisory is the 22nd day of the year that Metro Vancouver has issued such a warning. Last year’s record-setting amount was 19. The 14-day span of continuous advisories from Aug. 13 to 26 is also a new benchmark. Close to 1.3 million hectares of forest have burned since April 1, which is also record setting.
This advisory is expected to continue until there is a change in the current weather and that could come as soon as tonight. Environment Canada is forecasting rain from Friday until Wednesday of next week.
