Wildfires cause smoky skies across B.C.
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.
WRB bridge in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kelowna?src=hash">#kelowna</a>. Smoke from the WA fires affecting visibility. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcwildfire?src=hash">#bcwildfire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/okanagonfire?src=hash">#okanagonfire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/airquality?src=hash">#airquality</a> <a href="http://t.co/8FepAIGDPa">pic.twitter.com/8FepAIGDPa</a>
—@MsHealthyBriggs
Still smokey today in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Okanagan?src=hash">#Okanagan</a>, supposed to see the lake and mountains and even Naramata here, but nope, smoke. <a href="http://t.co/ncCmwR4S8J">pic.twitter.com/ncCmwR4S8J</a>
—@InfinitumFilms
Vibrant sunsets
The wildfires have also resulted in fiery sunsets.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/bcalmanac">@bcalmanac</a> listener Mark Windsor sent us this shot of a smoky sunset in Grand Forks, due to Lynch Creek fire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbc?src=hash">#cbc</a> <a href="http://t.co/MyuqmSiZA4">pic.twitter.com/MyuqmSiZA4</a>
—@bcalmanacIn 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.
Glacier National Park, in Montana, was also blanketed in smoke.
A lot of smoke today from the fires in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/glaciernationalpark?src=hash">#glaciernationalpark</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/apgarvillage?src=hash">#apgarvillage</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lakemcdonald?src=hash">#lakemcdonald</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smoke?src=hash">#smoke</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kayaking?src=hash">#kayaking</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gnp?src=hash">#gnp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mont?src=hash">#mont</a>… <a href="http://t.co/6oCYURecOn">pic.twitter.com/6oCYURecOn</a>
—@NatlParksPhotosWith files from The Canadian Press