Southwest B.C. air quality still poor

Metro Vancouver and B.C. health officials are extending the air quality advisory issued on Wednesday until this weekend.

Winds are carrying fine soot particles from forest fires into the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and the Sea to Sky corridor, prompting warnings to people with health concerns to avoid strenuous exercise outdoors.

More than 400 wildfires are burning across the province and firefighters are actively working to contain about 100 of them.

Air quality readings for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are in the moderate range - five on a scale of ten, with ten being the worst.

Some improvement in air quality is expected on Saturday.

"We are hoping that on Saturday, with some rainshowers forecasted, that the situation will improve with the rain cleaning the air out," said Laurie Bates-Frymel, an air quality planner with Metro Vancouver. "But over the next couple of days we expect that the levels will still be elevated."

Most at risk of breathing problems and other possible health complications are babies, seniors and people with underlying conditions such as lung or heart disease.

Jogging outdoors under current conditions is not advisable, according to one health expert.

"Stay indoors to the extent possible, particularly people with asthma, people with emphysema, people with cardiovascular disease," said Ryan Allan, an assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University.