The smoke in the skies over northern B.C. is coming from several sources, most of them outside the province, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
Air Quality statements from Environment and Climate Change have been put in place for several regions across the province, including B.C. Peace River, Dease Lake, Fort Nelson, the Okanagan Valley, and the South Thompson. Because of changing wind directions and the number of fires, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where this smoke is coming from, according to the Wildfire Service. However, a phenomenon known as long range transport can carry smoke hundreds and even thousands of kilometres away from a fire.
Over the last few days, smoke in the northern half of the province can be attributed to an upper low that has pulled smoke into B.C. from the fires currently burning in Manitoba and Ontario. Today, some of this smoke can even be accredited internationally, coming from regions such as Siberia and Eurasia.
Throughout the south of the province, the smoke is more likely due to the local situation.
FireWork, Canada’s Wildfire Smoke Prediction System, is an air quality prediction system that indicates how smoke from wildfires is expected to move across North America over the next 48 hours. You can view the map here: https://weather.gc.ca/firework/firework_anim_e.html…
