Smoky skies advisories remain in place for southern B.C.

Wildfires from across the Pacific Northwest are causing dangerous air quality ratings for parts of British Columbia's southern Interior.

In Grand Forks, where the 227-square-kilometre Kettle Complex wildfires are burning only a few kilometres away, the air quality is more than five times worse than on an average day in Beijing.

The air quality health index for the South and CentralOkanaganis literally off the charts, currently listed at 14 on a scale from one to 10.

• Largest wildfire in Washington state's history sending smoke into B.C.

• Washington Stickpin fire closing in on residents of Grand Forks, B.C.

Environment Canada advises that everyone in those regions reducestrenuous outdoor activity, especially those with heart or breathing problems.

Smoke blankets southern B.C.

9 years ago

Duration 2:18

Smoke from wildfires has triggered smoky skies advisories for much of southern B.C.

The air quality advisories were put in in place for much of southern B.C. on Sunday because of wildfiresburning across the region.

"Since Saturday night, southerly winds have been widely spreading heavy plumes of smoke northwards from the large wildfires burning in Washington state, resulting in high concentrations of fine particulates and poor air quality," said the Environment Canada alert.

"While this episode is expected to persist until a major shift in wind patterns and weather conditions, smoke concentrations will vary widely as winds, fire behaviour and temperatures change."

Areas affected by theEnvironment Canada smoky skies advisoryinclude:

• Okanagan Valley
• North and South Thompson
• Similkameen
• Fraser Canyon
• Nicola
• Shuswap
• Boundary
• Southern areas of East and West Kootenay
• Elk Valley
• East Vancouver Island
• Central and Eastern Fraser Valley

Metro Vancouverhas also issued anair quality advisory for the Central and Eastern Fraser Valleybecause of elevated concentrations of fine particulate matterdue to smoke from wildfires in Washington state.