Smoky Skies Bulletin - September 11, 2020

The Regions of BC highlighted on the map are being impacted or are likely to be impacted
by wildfire smoke over the next 24-72 hours. The bulletin has been extended to include more
regions over the weekend. Smoke impacts due to long-range transport from wildfires in the
western United States have already been observed in some areas of Vancouver Island, the
Lower Mainland, and portions of the interior. Smoke forecast models indicate the potential for a
significant push of smoke into BC throughout the weekend. The anticipated smoke trajectory in-
dicates that the areas impacted will grow to the north and east as the weekend progresses with
the most widespread impacts expected on Sunday. Areas at higher latitudes, such as Prince
George, may have smoke passing through the region aloft. With falling temperatures overnight,
temperature inversions in mountain valleys can increase the likelihood of smoke being trapped
near the ground. Localized impacts from the Talbott Creek, Woodbury Creek, and Doctor Creek
fires continue to be expected.

The next bulletin update will be available September 14, 2020.

The bulletin can be accessed online at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-

land-water/air/air-quality/air-advisories.

Be informed
During a wildfire, smoke
conditions can change quickly
over short distances and
can vary considerably hour-
by-hour.

Wildfire smoke is a nat-

ural part of our environ-
ment but it is important to
be mindful that exposure
to smoke may affect your
health.

People with pre-existing health

conditions, respiratory in- Figure 1: A description of highlighted region(s) are provided at the
fections such as COVID- end of the bulletin.
19, older adults, pregnant
women and infants, children,
and sensitive individuals are more likely to experience health effects from smoke expo-
sure.

During smoky conditions

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Follow your common sense
• Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or you feel
unwell.
• Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
• If you have asthma or other chronic illness, carry any rescue (fast-acting) medi-
cations with you at all times and activate your personal care plan that has been
designed with your family physician.
• Make sure that children and others who cannot care for themselves follow the
same advice.

Monitor your symptoms

• People respond differently to smoke. Mild irritation and discomfort are common,
and usually disappear when the smoke clears.
• Exposure to wildfire smoke and the virus that causes COVID-19 can both result
in respiratory symptoms such as a dry cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing.
Use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to help determine whether you need
further assessment or testing for COVID-19.
• If you are unsure whether you need medical care, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1.
• If you are experiencing difficulty in breathing, chest pain or discomfort, or a severe
cough, contact your health care provider, walk-in clinic, or emergency department.
If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

Tips to reduce your smoke exposure

• Smoke levels may be lower indoors but will still be elevated, so stay aware of your
symptoms even when you are indoors.
• Running a commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter can
improve indoor air quality in the room where the device is located.
• If you have a forced air heating/cooling system in your home, it may help to change
the filter and set the fan to run continuously.
• Reduce indoor air pollution sources such as smoking, burning incense, and frying
foods.
• If travelling in a car with air conditioning, keep the windows up and the ventilation
set to recirculate.
• If you are very sensitive to smoke, consider moving to another location with cleaner
air, but be aware that conditions can change rapidly.
• Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting
from short-term exposure to air pollution.

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More information
For additional general information about wildfire smoke and air quality:
• Current Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and air quality measurements: http://www.
env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/data/aqhi-table.html
• Smoke forecasts (next 48 hours)
◦ Environment and Climate Change Canada FireWork prediction system:https:
//weather.gc.ca/firework/index e.html
◦ Blue Sky Canada Smoke Forecasting System: https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/
current/

For additional general information about wildfire smoke and your health:

BC Centre for Disease Control

• Wildfire smoke and your health: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/prevention-public-
health/wildfire-smoke
• Wildfire smoke and COVID-19: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/
covid-19/prevention-risks/wildfires

Provincial Health Authorities

• First Nations Health Authority: http://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/environmental-health/

wildfire-information

• Interior Health Authority: For resources related to forest fire smoke exposure, air
quality, food safety when the power is out and ensuring your drinking water is safe
visit http://www.interiorhealth.ca (Environment Tab/Emergency Information).

HealthLink BC
• Wildfires and your health: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/wildfires
• Phone 8-1-1 (toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Worksafe BC
• For information about working outdoors during smoky conditions, see the wildfire
FAQ website: https://www.worksafebc.com/en/resources/health-safety/information-
sheets/wildfire-smoke-frequently-asked-questions-faq.

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Contact information
Media and public inquiries regarding air quality and this bulletin:

Trina Orchard, Air Quality Meteorologist, Ministry of Environment & Climate Change
Strategy, 250 420-6461.

Media questions regarding health implications of wildfires:

First Nations Health Authority

Environmental Public Health Services or Main FNHA Line: 604-693-6500
After Hours: 1-844-666-0711
Email: [email protected]
Media line: 604-831-4898

Fraser Health Authority

Media Line: 604-831-4898

Interior Health Authority

Media line: 1-844-469-7077
Email: [email protected]

Northern Health Authority

Media Line: 1-877-961-7724

Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

Matt Kieltyka, Acting Communications Leader, Public Health: [email protected]
After-hours media line: 604-202-2012

Vancouver Island Health Authority

Meribeth Burton, Media Relations: 250-519-1815
After-hours media line: 250-716-7750

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Regions included under this bulletin:

100 Mile includes Hwy 97 from 108 Mile House to Clinton, Bridge Lake and Canim
Lake.

Arrow Lakes - Slocan Lake includes Slocan, New Denver, Nakusp, and Fauquier

B.C. South Peace River includes Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, and Tum-
bler Ridge

Boundary includes Grand Forks, Midway and Greenwood

Campbell River includes Stories Beach

Cariboo (North) includes Quesnel, Wells and Bowron Lake Park

Cariboo (South) includes Williams Lake, Northern and Central sections of Wells Gray
Park

Central Coast (coastal sections) includes Bella Bella, Ocean Falls, and extends south
to Jackson Bay

Central Coast (inland sections) includes Bella Coola, Hagensborg, Firvale, and Stuie

Central Okanagan includes Kelowna, Lake Country, West Kelowna and Peachland

Chilcotin includes Hansville, Alexis Creek, Chilanko Forks, Tatla Lake, Nimpo Lake,
Anahim Lake, and the southern half of Tweedsmuir Park

Comox Valley includes Black Creek and Cumberland

East Columbia includes Golden

East Kootenay (North) includes Edgwater, Inveremere, Canal Flats and Skookum-
chuck

East Kootenay (South) includes Kimberley, Cranbrook, Yahk, Moyie, Wasa Lake Provini-
cal Park, Jaffray, Grasmere and Roosville

Duncan extends from Ladysmith to Shawnigan Lake

East Vancouver Island (central) includes Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Coombs, Qualicum
Beach, Fanny Bay, Hornby Island

Elk Valley includes Elko, Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford

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Fraser Canyon (North) Includes Lillooet and Andersen lake.

Fraser Canyon (South) Trans Canada Hwy 1 from Lytton to Choate.

Greater Victoria includes Sidney, Victoria, Saanich, Langford, Metchosin

Haida Gwaii

Howe Sound includes Horseshoe Bay, Lions Bay, Squamish, Bowen Island. There
is some overlap between areas of Metro Vancouver (e.g. Horseshoe Bay, Lions Bay,
Bowen Island) considered part of the Lower Fraser Valley Airshed and the Howe Sound
zone used by BC ENV for issuing smoky skies bulletins. A smoky skies bulletin could
be issued for the Howe Sound zone before the thresholds are reached to trigger an air
quality advisory issued by Metro Vancouver for these overlapping parts of the Lower
Fraser Valley Airshed. This should not be interpreted as conflicting information; it re-
flects the different approaches to notifications about wildfire smoke within the two agen-
cies.

Inland Vancouver Island includes Lake Cowichan, Nahmint, Port Alberni, central por-
tions of Strathcona Park and Schoen Lake Provincial Park

Kinbasket includes Kinbasket reservoir south of Valemount

Kootenay Lake includes Creston and Kaslo

Lakes District includes Houston, Topley, Burns Lake, and Endako

McGregor includes the northern end of the Robson Valley extending from Hansard
to Dome Creek; extends north to Monkmon Park

Nanaimo includes Cedar, South Wellington, and Cassidy

Nicola Includes Merritt, Strump Lake, Pennask Lake, and Brookmere.

North Coast - Coastal Sections includes Prince Rupert

North Coast - Inland Sections includes Kitimat

North Columbia includes Blue River and McMurphy

North Okanagan includes Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, Lavington and Lumby

North Thompson Includes Barriere, Clearwater and Vavenby.

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North Vancouver Island includes Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Port Alice, Bull Harbour,
Alert Bay, Sayward, and Woss

Prince George includes the City of Prince George, Hwy 16 Vanderhoof to Upper
Fraser, and Hwy 97 Hixon to the south end of McLeod Lake.

Shuswap Includes Salmon Arm, Sicamous, and Chase.

Similkameen includes Princeton

South Okanagan includes Penticton, Summerland, Naramata, Keremeos, Oliver and

Osoyoos

South Thompson Includes Kamloops, Rayleigh, Monte Creek, Cache Creek, Spences
Bridge and Logan Lake.

Southern Gulf Islands includes Southern Gulf Islands

Sunshine Coast (south) includes Sechelt, Gibsons, and Earls Cove

Sunshine Coast (north) includes, Powell River and Quadra Island

West Columbia includes Revelstoke

West Kootenay includes Nelson, Castlegar, Trail, Rossland

West Vancouver Island includes Tofino, Uclulet, Port Renfrew, Sooke

Whistler includes Whistler and Pemberton

Yellowhead includes McBride and Valemount and all communities within the south-
ern half of the Robson Valley extending from Urling to Valemount and the northern half
of Mount Robson Park

Yoho - Kootenay Park includes Yoho and Kootenay National Parks

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