VANCOUVER — British Columbia's forests minister is warning that the dense shroud of wildfire smoke that has descended over parts of the province, including Metro Vancouver, is set to worsen.
Ravi Parmar told a briefing that the smoke will be a "major factor" in the next 24 to 72 hours, with more arriving in the central and southern Interior tonight or tomorrow and reaching the Fraser Valley by Friday.
Sarah Henderson of the BC Centre for Disease Control says there will be a significant amount of smoke across most of the province over the next three days, and ongoing high temperatures will potentially worsen its health impact.
A bulletin from Metro Vancouver advises residents to avoid or limit outdoor activity due to the elevated levels of fine particles in the air.
The Vancouver School Board says it has moved all activities indoors due to the smoke.
Environment Canada has expanded air-quality bulletins to more than 30 areas stretching from Metro Vancouver to the far northeastern corner of B.C., while higher-level warnings are in effect across most of Alberta and a portion of northwestern Saskatchewan.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2025.
The Canadian Press
