Air-quality advisory cancelled for Fraser Valley as smoke dissipates

After three days of smoky skies, folks in the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver areas can breathe easy once again.

The air-quality advisory that was in effect due to smoke from nearby wildfires has been cancelled.

Metro Vancouver Regional District ended the advisory on Tuesday, Aug. 22 after air quality had improved. The fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air-quality advisory was put in place on Saturday, Aug. 19.

READ MORE: Eastern Fraser Valley’s air quality health index at ‘very high risk’

Although smoke had moved out of the area, it was still impacting other parts of the province and a change in the weather could once again bring wildfire smoke into our region, the regional district warned in a press release.

On Aug. 20 and Aug. 21, the air quality health index was at 10+ or ‘very high risk’ in the Eastern Fraser Valley. On Tuesday afternoon, that value had dropped to two, or ‘low risk.’

Information about real-time air quality readings for Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley communities and potential health impacts can be found at airmap.ca and env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/readings/find-stations-map.html.