Heat wave prompts air quality advisory across Metro Vancouver
Posted June 28, 2015 8:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – An air quality advisory has been issued for eastern parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
Metro Vancouver issued a statement saying high concentrations of ground-level ozone, a key ingredient in what’s commonly known as smog.
Ken Reid with Metro Vancouver explains vehicle emissions are part of the brew. “And when the temperatures get really hot, like they are now and very sunny, we get conditions that bring about the production of ground-level ozone. It usually occurs downwind, so right now the winds are going from Vancouver towards Abbotsford.”
People are asked to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during mid-afternoon, when ozone levels are highest.
Infants, the elderly and those who have underlying medical conditions including lung and heart disease and asthma are at additional risk from exposure.
“We know that ground-level ozone concentrations are highest in the late afternoon or mid-afternoon.”
People in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are asked to stay indoors or contact a doctor if they experience chest discomfort, shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing.
The advisory is expected to remain in place until there is a change in the hot and sunny weather.
