Publication date: Sep 11, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 3 min read • 8 comments Poor air quality was observed over Vancouver due to wildfires and a woodlot fire in Vancouver, BC on September 11, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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The sudden onset of heavy smoke in Metro Vancouver over the weekend is expected to improve on Monday.

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After a smoke-free summer, Metro Vancouver’s air turned gray as of Friday night, according to Geoff Doerksen, Metro Vancouver’s air quality officer. Start your day with a roundup of BC-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7am, Monday to Friday. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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“We had to deal with a cluster of fires burning southeast of Chilliwack and Hope for a week, creating bad air around Cultus Lake,” Doerksen said, referring to air that has high concentrations of particulates that can enter the bloodstream through of the lungs. The cloudiness in the air is due to this particle. However, on Friday night the winds shifted to the west, drifting the bad air from these large fires steadily towards Metro Vancouver. These winds also fueled and spread these fires – the Flood Falls Trail and Heather Lake flames remain out of control and spreading.

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To make matters worse, early Saturday morning, Vancouver firefighters were called to a fire at a wood recycling facility on the Fraser River at the bottom of Ontario Street. And the impact of that fire deepened when a temperature inversion occurred in Vancouver, in which cold air was closer to the ground and warm air was higher, trapping smoke from the fire inside. “You could see smoke traveling along the Fraser River from Coquitlam to Vancouver,” Doerksen said, adding that there was still a weaker inversion on Sunday. Also Sunday, a new fire broke out near Stave Lake in Mission. Vancouver firefighters continue to battle a fire that broke out early Saturday at a wood recycling facility on the Fraser River at the bottom of Ontario Street and is still producing heavy smoke on September 11, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG Doerksen said North Vancouver was particularly hard hit by the smoky skies, but it was felt in the most populated area of ​​B.C. — and it was as bad as the haze that appeared earlier in the summers of 2017 and 2018 due to raging wildfires. Although in those cases, tobacco was more prevalent throughout the province.

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By Sunday afternoon, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Deputy Chief Al Gregory said the forest fire was under control but still smoldering, with excavators removing piles of wood debris so hoses could headed for the embers below. The fire started along a conveyor belt, which then spread to piles of wood waste. “It’s not optimal firefighting conditions with already smoky skies,” Gregory said, adding that it will take time to fully extinguish the fire. The IQAir Global Air Quality Index rated Vancouver as having the worst air of any city in the world on Sunday, based on particulate matter in the sky. Second was Dubai, followed by Chengdu in China and Dhaka in Bangladesh. According to Metro Vancouver, on Monday weather conditions are expected to improve, leading to a reduction in smoke in the area.

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“We expect the smoke to stick,” Doerksen said, though it should still improve. Fire burning west of Hope. Photo Francis Georgian /PNG According to the latest statement from the BC Department of Forestry, the Flood Falls Trail fire southwest of Hope and visible from Highway One had grown to 271 hectares and was out of control. The Fraser Valley Regional District and the District of Hope have issued subsequent evacuation notices as hot, dry conditions and gusty winds fuel the fire. The Heather Lake fire in Manning Park east of Hope is also out of control and has grown to 8,663 hectares. This fire is in BC and Washington. “Today and tomorrow, additional smoke is expected to arrive from the south (US), further degrading air quality,” Environment Canada warned Sunday.

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Bad air led to the cancellation of horse racing on Sunday at Hastings Park and some football matches organized by the Whitecaps academy were called off. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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