Air quality advisories issued in Metro Vancouver and northern B.C. due to heat and wildfires

A continuing heat wave and worsening wildfires are contributing to poor air quality in both Metro Vancouver and northeastern B.C.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District issued an air quality advisory due to high concentrations of ground-level ozone, which is expected to last until temperatures cool.

The district says smoke from the Davis Lake wildfire near Mission, B.C., is also contributing to poor air quality.

Meanwhile, smoky skies advisories are covering much of the province's northeast, including Prince George, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.

Environment Canada is advising anyone with underlying health risks, including the young and older adults, to avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

High heat to continue

Unseasonably warm conditions are expected to continue throughout the week, though Environment Canada says temperatures have likely peaked.

Special weather statements continue to be in place for most of the province, including the North Coast, where British Columbia's first heat warning of the year was issued Monday morning.

The warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) comes amid a provincewide heatwave that has broken dozens of temperature records and is expected to peak for most of B.C. on Monday.

But the high temperatures are expected to last through Thursday on the North Coast, reaching 30 C in communities like Terrace and Kitimat, according to a release from ECCC.

"It's very unseasonably hot weather for this time of the year," said meteorologist Louis Kohanyi, who says it is unusual for heat warnings to be issued so early in the year. 

The department says a plume of hot air will remain in place over the North Coast, bringing daytime highs 10-15 C above seasonal values and overnight lows of around 15 C — 10 C above what is normally experienced in the region in the middle of May.

The high-pressure ridge and the hot air are expected to make their way eastward on Friday, allowing the weather to cool significantly, though still slightly above seasonal norms.

A heat warning is issued when daytime highs and overnight lows are expected to be higher than regional temperature thresholds for at least two days.

ECCC says the elevated temperatures can lead to an increased risk of heat-related illnesses that are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors.

"Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty and stay in a cool place," it said.

Though temperatures will be high, ECCC says "conditions will not approach those reached during the heat dome of late June 2021."

Weekend records

As a result, multiple weather records have been set in the province.

Lytton was the hottest place in Canada on Sunday, reaching 35.9 C.

Squamish was a close second, reaching 35.8 C and smashing the daily temperature record of 29.2 C set in 2018.

It was one of more than 40 communities across the province to break temperature records on Sunday, including Agassiz, which hit 34.7 C, breaking the previous mark of 30.3 C; Kamloops, where the temperature hit 32.7 C, breaking a record of 31.8 C; and Burns Lake, which reached 30.5 C, smashing the record of 24.8 C. All of those previous records were set in 2018.

A special weather statement regarding the heat has been issued for most of the province, including Metro Vancouver, though Kohanyi says temperatures are expected to peak Monday. 

ECCC said the South Coast will get some respite from the heat starting Monday evening as cooler marine air and low cloud pushes in. Daytime highs on Tuesday are forecast to be in the mid-to high-20s but will increase again on Wednesday.

In the Interior and the north, the ridge of high pressure bringing the heat will gradually weaken later this week, ECCC says. Daytime highs may drop a couple of degrees but will remain much higher than seasonal values.

Heat, fire, and floods

The hot weather has been contributing to increased fire risk in the province, particularly northeastern B.C., where more than 2,000 people are currently under evacuation orders due to the Stoddart Creek wildfire, which is burning toward Fort St. John.

The entire municipality of Fort St. John has been placed on evacuation alert as a result, while the 500-person Blueberry River First Nation has been ordered to evacuate alongside several other outlying properties and communities in the region.

As of Monday afternoon, there are 58 active fires across B.C., with five of them considered to be fires of note, meaning they are highly visible or pose a threat to public safety.

Most are in the Prince George Fire Centre, which covers the northeast portion of the province.

The province's River Forecast Centre also issued several high streamflow advisories for the Skeena River, the Upper Columbia and East and West Kootenay rivers, and others as high temperatures accelerated the spring snowmelt.

Freezing levels will remain near 4,000 metres this week, the ECCC said, leading to increased snowpack melting with possible local flooding due to high streamflow levels. 

People are being warned to stay away from fast-moving water and unstable banks.