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Hazy skies expected to start clearing by Friday

While the pall is still hanging around, the amount of fine particulate matter over the North Shore is down by more than 50 per cent from the worst point last week.
air quality

While the pall is still hanging around, the amount of fine particulate matter over the North Shore is down by more than 50 per cent from the worst point last week.

The particulates, measured in micrograms per cubic metre, were in the low 50s near the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing and averaged in the low 40s at Horseshoe Bay on Monday and Tuesday, according to Metro Vancouver. Readings from earlier in August spiked at 118 in North Vancouver and 123 at Horseshoe Bay.  

The average reading for fine particulate matter during a summer day in the region is between five and 15.

And while weather patterns have been largely unchanged since wildfire smoke from the Interior settled over the region, the smog may soon lift, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Cindy Yu.“With the winds coming from the southwest, we should see better air quality starting as early as Friday,” Yu said.

The haze has yielded more visits to doctors and a greater number of prescriptions for drugs like Ventolin – which are designed to open the airways – according to deputy provincial health officer Bonnie Henry.

After a few days of heat and haze, the number of prescriptions tends to jump by as much as 50 per cent, according to Henry.

The haze may have limited backcountry misadventures, according to North Shore Rescue team leader Mike Danks. While most sunny weekends result in multiple emergencies, the team was only called out once during the B.C. Day long weekend.

“I think the smoke is helping us out on that front,” Danks said.

Temperatures are expected to oscillate between 30 C inland and the mid-20s closer to the water before possibly turning to rain this weekend, said Yu. The haze likely lowered the mercury, keeping temperatures slightly cooler during the day, Yu said.