EDITOR’S NOTE — Province-wide wildfires blanket B.C. communities in smoke — Haze from the wildfires reaches downtown Vancouver, Victoria. See box at right, or click on: http://www.cbc.ca/1.3138999
PORT ANGELES — Smoke from several Canadian wildfires has turned day to twilight in the Strait of Juan de Fuca region with smoke rising to 20,000 feet from the Pacific Ocean to Whidbey Island.
Several large, smoky fires burning on Vancouver Island — the Boulder Creek Fire 14 miles northwest of Pemberton, the Dog Mountain Fire at Sproat Lake and the Tsulquate River Fire about a mile west of Port Hardy — are primarily responsible for the smoky conditions, said Allen Kam, meteorologst for the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Weather patterns are funneling the smoke southward from the fires into the Strait, and will continue to do so through at least early Monday morning, Kam said.
The patterns are expected to shift Monday morning and no longer bring the smoke to the Strait, but it will take time for the smoke to dissipate, he said.
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency air quality monitoring stations at Cheeka Peak, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend each showed elevated levels of particulates at 3 p.m.
Port Angeles
At the Port Angeles station, located at Stevens Middle School, air particles measured received an Washington Air Quality Advisory score of 105, categorized as unhealthy for sensitive groups.
According to the advisory, ORCAA recommends that sensitive groups, including people with heart or lung disease, asthma or diabetes, plus infants, children, adults older than 65, pregnant women or those who have had a stroke should limit time spent outdoors.
Neah Bay
At Cheeka Peak, near Neah Bay, air particles measured received an Washington Air Quality Advisory score of 88, at the high end of moderate on the scale.
According to the advisory, those with asthma, respiratory infection, diabetes, lung or heart disease, or have had a stroke should limit outdoor activities or do activities that take less effort, such as walking instead of running.
Port Townsend
At the Port Townsend station, located on San Juan Avenue, air particles measured received an Washington Air Quality Advisory score of 48, still within the “good” category but approaching “moderate.”
All this is in addition to unseasonable heat, which was recorded at 83 degrees at the Port Angeles Coast Guard Air Station at 3 p.m. The forecast high at the station today is 85.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
