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Smoke above Nelson nearly double what it should be

But it’s still nowhere near as bad as elsewhere in the province
8063529_web1_copy_170816-KWS-Smoke
Believe it or not, there’s mountains behind that smoke. Photo: Tyler Harper

As bad as the smoke is in Nelson, it could be a lot worse.

The current concentration average of fine particulate matter in Nelson is 46 micrograms per cubic metre over the last 24 hours, according to provincial air quality meterologist Donna Haga as of Thursday afternoon.

For context, anything above 25 is when air quality advisories are issued.

Haga said a high-pressure system has been contributing to the smoke hanging in the air across the province.

“Rain would wash the smoke out of the air. Prolonged periods of low temperatures. It’s kind of tough because low temperatures with high winds would move the smoke out of the local area but of course it may bring in smoke from other areas,” she said.

“Right now there’s so many fires, in some places it seems to not matter which way the wind is blowing [because] the smoke is coming from somewhere.”

Nelson’s smoke levels are still nowhere near the air in Kamloops, which has the highest micrograms per cubic metre in the province at hourly average 137 and a 24-hour average of 181.



Tyler Harper

About the Author: Tyler Harper

I’m editor-reporter at the Nelson Star, where I’ve worked since 2015.
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