Smoke from U.S. wildfires could make its way back to Kamloops, Okanagan this week

There’s a possibility of smoke returning to Kamloops and the Okanagan later this week.

Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist says this week’s weather pattern that is bringing a second summer to Kamloops and the Okanagan has the potential to bring some smoke back into the region later this week.

“It’s more of a coastal event. First of all, there’s not a lot of smoke being produced in Washington, it’s mostly in Oregon and California, so it’s coming from further away,” Lundquist says.

So far this week the smoke has been edging up the coast.

“It’s already nearly October, and under this ridge of high pressure this time of year the flow tends to be north, so we’re protected a bit from that southerly flow, but I wouldn’t be surprised if later in the work week or on the weekend we see some smoke aloft or maybe drawn down into the valley bottoms before a change in flow on Sunday,” he says.

Lundquist says between Thursday and Saturday there may be a day or two where smoke is present, but it won’t be anywhere near as prevalent as last time.

“We might get into the range for poor air quality one day, but it will mostly be low to moderate,” he says.

The high pressure ridge over southern B.C. is very strong, bringing some higher than normal temperatures to the area this week. Merritt set a new record of 28.2 Celsius yesterday, beating the old record of 27.8 set in 1973, with records dating back to 1918.

More records could fall in the coming days with highs of 26 C expected in Kamloops and Penticton today and tomorrow.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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