Wildfire haze to begin clearing this weekend as weather shifts: Metro Vancouver

Metro Vancouver residents could soon be breathing easier, with a possible end in sight to the haze that’s been choking the region.

An air quality advisory remains in effect for Metro Vancouver on Friday, due to fine particulate matter from B.C. wildfire smoke.

But wind and rain in the weekend forecast could begin to push the haze out said Metro Vancouver air quality analyst Kyle Howard.

“We’re expecting to see a switch from these outflow winds, which have been bringing smoke from the B.C. wildfires in the interior to more of an onshore pattern, so winds coming from the southwest,” he said.

“With this it’ll be bringing in much cleaner air from the Pacific Ocean and helping to push a lot of that smoke out of our area.”

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Howe said the change in winds could come as early as Friday afternoon, but that the improvement won’t be immediate.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time for all of the smoke to clear out as it’s been pretty persistent and there’s still quite a lot of smoke in our airshed.”

Howe added that any amount of rain would help clear the smoke as well.

Periods of rain are in the forecast for Saturday night and Sunday.

Howe estimated that the air quality advisory should be lifted by early next week.

In the meantime, young children, seniors and people with respiratory illnesses are still advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.