“There is no reason to believe 2021 will be any different,” she said. “Let’s start getting ready for the smoke now rather than waiting until it arrives.”
In a recent notice, the BCCDC says that the gases and fine particulate matter in smoke can be inhaled deep into the lungs and cause inflammation and irritation. Some of the other components of smoke can also irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
“In 2017, 2018 and 2020, we experienced consecutive days and weeks of the worst air quality that most people will ever experience in British Columbia,” Henderson said. “We know that smoke really affects how people feel when it’s happening.”