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Metro Vancouver air quality comparable to Beijing

July 7, 2015

Metro Vancouver air quality comparable to Beijing

Health authorities advise caution due to smoke from hundreds of wildfires across B.C.

Smoke from wildfires in the Interior of British Columbia blankets the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. Health officials in the province have issued air quality warnings as a result of the fires.

Smoke from wildfires in the Interior of British Columbia blankets the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. Health officials in the province have issued air quality warnings as a result of the fires. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

Health authorities say Metro Vancouver’s air quality has dipped to levels close to those found in major Chinese polluted cities such as Beijing, and are warning residents to stay indoors, due in part to the rampant wildfires in B.C.

“I would say that the air quality that we’ve experienced recently [in B.C.] and are experiencing now is unfortunately something that residents in a lot of cities in China experience on quite a regular basis, which I think is quite concerning because these are certainly levels that pose a risk for human health and well-being,” said Fraser Health medical health officer Dr. Lisa Mu.

The string of forest fires currently burning in the province forced Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories on Monday for several areas, including Metro Vancouver.

The sharp decrease in air quality is mostly due to small particles from the fires, which can irritate people’s lungs.

The highest concentration of particulate matter in the air has been found in North Burnaby, where levels are not far behind those in Beijing. The sprawling Chinese city is notorious for its poor air quality. It’s often engulfed in smog for days on end as China contends with rampant air pollution stemming from its decades of economic growth.

Particulate matter numbers:

  • ​Beijing: 144 µg/m3
  • Burnaby north: 112 µg/m3
  • Vancouver: 60.1 µg/m3
  • Abbotsford: 58 µg/m3
  • Paris: 56 µg/m3

Note: These figures are accurate for 7 p.m. PT on Monday. Source: Air Quality B.C.

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