As you may have guessed, the Smoke Advisory remains in effect. And I don’t see much improvement in the air quality until Saturday when we’re supposed to get a little rain. There are air quality advisories of some sort for almost all of Southern BC.
Here is the warning from the BC Ministry of Environment:
WILDFIRE SMOKE ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE EAST COAST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND
(Aug 5, 2010 – Nanaimo) The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Vancouver Island Health Authority is continuing a Smoke Advisory for the east coast of Vancouver Island from Cowichan Valley to Campbell River, including the communities of Duncan, Parksville, Port Alberni, Courtenay and Comox, because of forest fire smoke that is affecting some areas. Weather conditions are forcing smoke from wildfires in the interior of British Columbia to the coast, producing smoky skies throughout the South Coast Region. Smoke concentrations will vary widely as winds, fire behaviour and temperatures change. This situation is expected to persist for at least the next 24 hours.
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.
People with heart or lung conditions should reduce their levels of activity while air quality is poor. These individuals should watch for worsening of their symptoms. If this happens, they should reduce their exposure to the smoke and contact their health care provider, walk-in clinic or emergency department for advice. To speak to someone immediately about your health concerns, contact HealthLink BC, available toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-1-1, or via the web at: http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kbaltindex.asp
Forecast weather conditions on Friday and Saturday are expected to reduce smoke concentrations over the area.
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