Smoke from the B.C. wildfires is reducing air quality across the province.
Environment Canada has issued air quality statements for many areas across the province, including the Okanagan Valley and the West Kootenays.
The hardest-hit areas are Williams Lake and Kamloops, which both have an Air Quality Health Index rating of 10-plus, which is considered “very high risk.”
Air quality is so poor in Kamloops that some evacuees and city employees have taken to wearing masks when they’re outdoors.
On Monday, Canada Post confirmed that letter carriers were off the job due to air quality concerns.
People are being told to avoid strenuous outdoor activity and contact a health-care provider if they have difficulty breathing, chest pain, discomfort or a sudden cough.
WATCH: B.C. wildfires leave haze over Metro Vancouver