[Sailorsam]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfires-update-july-31-1.6125474

For days, thick smoke from wildfires has blanketed B.C. cities in the Kootenays and Okanagan. Now, Metro Vancouver is bracing for that smoke to reach the coast this weekend.
On Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a special air quality statement for parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, warning that elevated ozone levels due to the heatwave could pose health risks. They're also predicting wildfire smoke is likely heading west.
"For a lot of the Interior right now, our Air Quality Health Index is at 10, which is a very high level, basically all around the areas with concentrated wildfires," Derek Lee, a federal meteorologist, told CBC News. "We are still monitoring some wildfire smoke that will be coming into the coast area over the next few days."

I don't think the driest season is here yet
any SBites with knowledge of?
not making much news these days. (just covid covid covid)
pretty bad when cities have alerts like that. fairly close to the Pacific too.

 

[cannonfoddertfc]

The PNW has fires every year, this season isnt really any worse than what we have seen on average over the last few years. It ebbs and flows year to year but the average is pretty constant.
It will be nice as soon as we get some rain to settle the smoke and particles in the air.

 

[dmas]

Winthrop, small town in eastern Washington, had world's worst air quality a little while ago from wildfire smoke. Onshore winds have blown smoke away from this coast, heard it was noticeable on east coast. Smoke was supposed to be here this weekend, some haziness but no smoke odor.

 

[ametrine60]

Can't see the Cascade foot hills today. Too much smoke.

 

[BillyJack]

We had a 3 days above 100 and over a week of 90+ weather in early June. It hasn't rained in months, which it has every year I can remember. There is definitely a higher probability than normal for fires here in WA.

 

[Hilltopper]

I live here in the coastal rainforest , and indeed the smoke is bad today, much like two years ago. Vancouver may be used to having very good air quality but the smoke we are experiencing is nothing compared to what those in the fire zones are experiencing. Unfortunately the province of British Columbia has a record number of wild fires this year and others are terribly affected . It is tinder dry even in our coastal forests with dense towering trees after a record high in July of 113 F here at my home and 121 in the town of Lytton a few hours away , that small town burned to the ground .

 

[BrianWorf]

Several years ago there were large fires burning in Mexico and because of a weird weather situation, the smoke drafted up to the DFW Texas area. It smelled like a BBQ or an electrical fire all the time outside and made your eyes burn and itch. It did make for some beautiful, colorful sunrises and sunsets.

 

[ajole]

It did make for some beautiful, colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Yep...