Air freshens in parts of B.C. while other regions still face air quality, fire risks

Environment Canada is offering some hope to residents of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley after nearly a week of stagnant, smoke-filled air — but the forecast is not as positive for people closer to the wildfires burning in Interior British Columbia.

Air-quality advisories remain for most of the province due to high levels of ultra-fine particles released by the fires.

The weather office does say the level of those fine particulates should continue to decline across the Lower Mainland and a smog advisory has been dropped.

Cooler temperatures and fresh Pacific air blowing onto the coast are credited for the reprieve, but forecasters say winds over the Interior will pin the smoke there and communities downwind of wildfires will stay shrouded for the foreseeable future.

Rain forecast, but not enough

Winds are also complicating the battle against many fires, including two with a combined area of more than 1,000 square kilometres southwest of Burns Lake and along the south shore of Francois Lake.

Officials say no new homes have been lost since the blaze destroyed three in Lower Post near the Yukon boundary and a trace amount of rain has fallen.

Crews are now working to keep flames away from the Alaska Highway.

It was hoped cooler, showery conditions might offer a weekend break for firefighters in the province. But Environment Canada now says that if any rain falls, it is likely to be too spotty to make a difference.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says nearly 600 wildfires are burning across the province.

Wildfire map:

Evacuation orders and alerts:

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