Wildfire Smoke FAQ

  1. How can I prepare for smoky skies?

  2. Where can I find health information on wildfire smoke?

  3. Will I know in advance if smoke from wildfires is coming?

    • Depending on the proximity of the wildfire and the weather conditions, smoky conditions may appear without a lot of advance notice.
    • Wildfire smoke forecast maps are available through the Government of Canada’s FireWork system. FireWork is an air quality prediction system that indicates how smoke from wildfires is expected to move across North America over the next 48 hours.
    • Smoke forecasts are also available using the BlueSky Canada system. This system produces forecasts of hourly ground-level concentrations of PM2.5 smoke particles from wildfires up to two days into the future.
  4. If the air seems smoky, how can I find out how bad it is?

    • Current air quality conditions in your community are provided on the Metro Vancouver/FVRD’s AirMap or on the Province’s Air Quality Data Map.
    • Some areas of the region, such as the Fraser Canyon, receive the Smoky Skies Bulletins from the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to warn of smoky conditions in those areas.
  5. How can I stay informed of current conditions?

    Visit our Air Quality Monitoring page or follow the FVRD on Twitter or Facebook.