Air quality advisory issued for Metro Vancouver Tuesday

Metro Vancouver has issued an air quality advisoryfor Tuesday, Aug. 1 due to the expectation of smoky air carrying what it calls "fine particulate matter" arriving from wildifires burning in B.C.'s Interiorregion.

Hot, dry and smoky air from the Interior is heading for the South Coast and expected to rapidly dry out coastal forests, adding to the wildfire risk, warns the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Normally, the prevailing winds travel from the coast to the Interior, but this week the winds are expected to switch into outflow conditions, the wildfire service said in a statement.

• Current wildfire situation
• Current air quality advisories

"This air will be very warm, exceptionally dry and likely smoky," the statement said.

The change is likely to make coastal forests more susceptible to wildfires, so wildfire officials warn the public to avoid any activity that could cause a fire, including:

• Do not light any open fire of any size, including campfires.
• Check for any vehicle or trailer parts that could create sparks, including dragging sway bars or locked brakes.
• Avoid parking off-road vehicles in dry grass or other areas where the exhaust system is close to combustible materials.
• Always ensure cigarette butts are properly extinguished.

An air quality advisory remains for parts of the B.C. Southern Interior, including the North Thompson, South Thompson, Shuswap, 100 Mile, Cariboo, and Chilcotin.