Wildfires cause smoky skies across B.C.
CBC News | Posted: August 24, 2015 9:21 PM | Last Updated: August 24, 2015
The air quality index in some parts of B.C. is considered dangerous
A massive fire burning in north-central Washington — the largest in the state's history — is driving heavy smoke into nearby B.C. communities.
Air quality advisories remained in place for much of southern B.C. Monday as forest fires continued to burn across the region.
Okanagan Running Info uploaded this video to Facebook showing the change in air quality between Thursday and Sunday this week at Kelowna's downtown waterfront.
Reduced visibility
B.C. fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek says the heavy blanket of smoke acts like cloud cover by reflecting some of the sun's heat away from the ground and trapping some humidity closer to ground level.
The smoky skies made driving in the Okanagan region a challenge for some as visibility was reduced.
Vibrant sunsets
The wildfires have also resulted in fiery sunsets.
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, a city notorious for its smog problems.
South of the border
In Washington and Montana, the smoky skies also created vibrant sunsets and eerie photos.