Breathe in that clean-ish air, more smoke is on its way

If you, like many others in the last couple of weeks, have been making the Air Quality Health Index rating your go-to morning reading, then you may have noticed a delightful change.

This morning Kamloops, Kelowna and the South Okanagan all had a low health risk rating. Vernon was in the mid-range as the day began.  The Sept. 19 forecast, however, doesn't bode well for those who want to throw open their windows and soak in the weekend air.

Air quality is expected to inch back into a moderate to high health risk later in the day, according to Environment Canada, though blue skies are projected for Sunday.

As such, Environment Canada extended the special air quality statement for areas in B.C. being impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24-48 hours.

The BCCDC Asthma map for Sept. 20. BCCDC

"Smoke is currently beginning to dissipate across the western half of Vancouver Island. Further improvements will continue across the province west to east with widespread improvement by Sunday. In the central portions of the province, smoke will be visible aloft with potential for light-moderate impacts at the surface," reads the statement.

 The BC Centre for Disease Control's Asthma map offers an overview of how thew smoke is moving in the next day.


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Kathy Michaels

Kathy Michaels has been an Okanagan-based journalist for more than a decade, working for community papers along the valley and beyond.
She’s won provincial and national awards in business, news and feature writing and says that her love for telling a good story rivals only her fondness for turning a good phrase.
If you have a story that deserves to be told in a thoughtful and compassionate manner, don’t hesitate to reach out.
To reach Kathy call 250-718-0428 or email kmichaels@infonews.ca.

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