Vancouver's air quality is seventh worst of any major city in the world right now as an air quality advisory remains in place, suggesting people postpone physical activities.
Wildfire smoke has once again drifted from the many fires in B.C.'s interior, bringing a haze of fine particulate to Metro Vancouver's sky. The province's air quality health index for Metro Vancouver is currently listed at a three, or low risk, but an air quality advisory issued by the regional district and Environment Canada remains in place.
"Exposure is particularly a concern for people with underlying conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including bronchitis and emphysema, and other lung diseases, heart diseases, and/or diabetes," notes the advisory.
While Metro Vancouver's AQHI isn't high right now, it gets much worse not far away, in the Eastern Fraser Valley. According to the province's data, the area is at a 10 on a scale from one to 10. It's the highest rating in the province. Currently, the Central Fraser Valley is at a 3, but it's forecast to get higher later today.
Air quality alerts have been issued for much of the province, including large sections of Inland and Eastern Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley, the entire Okanagan, the North and South Thompson regions (including Kamloops), Prince Georga, and the Shuswap.
On the global IQAir website, Vancouver's air is the seventh worst right now, and the worst in North America. On the AQI US scale (which works on a scale of one to 300+) Vancouver's air is at 105, or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Seattle and Portland are not far behind, as wildfires in western North America affect the coastal cities.
