Air Quality Advisory Continues

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Haze visible over the City's Bowl    

The City’s first Air Quality Advisory of 2007 is entering day three.

The Ministry of Environment issued the advisory on Friday afternoon due to a high level of fine particulates in the air.

Ministry Meteorologist, Dennis Fudge, says, "Based on the air quality data, the high levels appear to be predominantly due to combustion sources with some contribution due to dust."

And Fudge says weather conditions are not helping, he says the clears skies with very little wind are trapping the particulates in the airshed above us.

Levels of PM_2.5, which are the finer particles associated with combustion sources, were 26 Downtown, and 25 in College Heights, as of 10:00 this morning.  The reading from the Downtown monitoring station is up from 23 at the same time yesterday, while the reading in College Heights remains unchanged.

More information on particulate matter levels is available on the Ministry’s website at http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/codes/index.html

The Ministry is also issuing a reminder to residents that the City’s Clean Air Bylaw prohibits the use of wood burning appliances, except for Sole Wood burning Heat Users, and that open burning including backyard burning and land clearing burning is banned during Air Quality Advisories. Recreational fires and street sweeping are also prohibited.

The advisory will be updated tomorrow morning. 

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us