Smoke in B.C. Interior causing poor air quality but helping fire fight

Smoke has settled over the B.C. Interior, leading to poor air quality, but is also aiding in the firefighting efforts. Numerous blazes across the province have been smothered for several days, resulting in a haze that has settled in valley bottoms, including the city of Penticton and the surrounding area. The smoke from the Bald Range fire in Summerland has forced thousands to evacuate.

Cliff Chapman, with the B.C. Wildfire Service, explained that the smoke is effectively suppressing the flames by denying them access to clean oxygen, thereby preventing the fires from spreading. However, he cautioned that a shift in the weather could potentially allow the smoke to clear, thereby increasing the risk of the fires spreading.

Currently, there are approximately 100 fires burning across B.C., with about half of them being out of control. Despite the winds being relatively mild, which would typically limit fire growth, Chapman noted that there has been substantial fire growth on many of the wildfires across the province. This can be attributed to the severe drought and dry conditions in southern B.C.