Overlooking Swan Lake in Vernon, hazy skies can be seen across the North Okanagan.
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
September 19, 2020 - 10:53 AM
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.
Image Credit: 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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