Jen Loree and her kids drove South from Prince George on Highway 97 on Wednesday July 27 through a thick haze of smoke, shocked by the scene of wreckage left by wildfires.
“There was stray livestock along the edge of the highway and you could barely see 10 feet in front of you because the smoke was so thick,” says Loree. “In Clinton, we stopped for gas and the smoke was so bad I had to pull my shirt over my face. There was this smouldering feeling the whole way. That day, a few of the communities the evacuation orders lifted, but I can’t see why anyone would want to go back in those conditions.”
Loree says the smoke dissipated near Chilliwack, and she was glad to return to fresh air on Bowen Island.
However, on Tuesday of last week, Metro Vancouver issued an air quality advisory because of high concentrations of particulate matter brought from the BC Interior by outflow winds.
Loree says that she can definitely feel the affect of the smoke but it is hard to slow down given the busy days working as a server at the Bowen Island Pub.
“I feel like I’m getting allergies, my chest is tight,” she says. “And really, this smoke just makes it hard to enjoy the summer.”
Amy Crawford and Steve Sigaty are working as farmers for their first season at Forest Brook Farm (owned by Kim Brooks). Crawford says they had big plans in terms of what they wanted to accomplish this summer, but poor air quality is making it hard to meet their goals
“Both Steve and I have lung and immune-related health issues, so we are really not supposed to go outside in bad air. Our work delays cause revenue loss,” she says. “We wear masks outside, but that only helps so much. Daily chores are our first priority, beyond that we are just trying to keep up.”
Metro Vancouver has an air quality monitoring station in Horseshoe Bay, and you can find regularly updated information on their online GIS Air Map.
Metro Vancouver’s Air Quality Analyst, Kyle Howe says weather conditions are expected to change on Friday evening, leading to improved air quality through the weekend.
