Thick smoke from the Cache Creek wildfire shrouds familiar landmarks and hot, dry conditions have put Salmon Arm at extreme risk for fires as well.
Extreme caution is urged when doing any outdoor activity.
Environment Canada and Interior Health have issued a “Smokey Skies Advisory” indicating that Salmon Arm, like most of the B.C. Interior, is suffering from poor air quality.
Environment Canada meteorologist Cindy Yu says air quality is worse in the afternoon and settles down at night.
She says nighttime readings are usually not too bad, but once the sun starts to rise and the air mass gets stirred up in the morning, conditions begin to worsen again.
While a couple of new fires started in the Arrow-Slocan area, Yu said a look at a satellite Tuesday morning indicated the smoke blanketing the Shuswap is from the Cache Creek fire.
Yu says there is no precipitation in the forecast, but neither is there an indication of strong winds.
Smoke concentrations will vary widely as winds, fire behaviour and temperatures change.
While there is no air quality station in Salmon Arm, Yu says the North Okanagan topped out at 10 on the scale Monday afternoon.
Exposure to smoke is of particular concern for infants, the elderly and those who have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
Everyone is advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and those with underlying medical conditions are urged to monitor their conditions.
Anyone who is having difficulty breathing, has chest pain or discomfort and sudden onset of cough or irritation of airways, should contact their health-care provider.
Shuswap Lake General Hospital Manager Mark Pugh said Tuesday the hospital had not yet seen an influx of patients with breathing problems associated with the smoke.
Outdoors, extreme caution is called for in area parks and on trails.
The Shuswap Trail Alliance has banned the use of power tools for trail stewards and reminded trail users that “absolutely no open fires or campfires are permitted” and the use of cigarettes should be avoided.
“Vehicles should be parked away from flammable vegetation at designated trail heads,” reads a July 11 release.
“Please obey all trail closure notices, check the BC Wildfire report regularly for updates, and be prepared to evacuate an area quickly.”
The City of Salmon Arm reminds residents and tourists burning of all kinds is now prohibited as is smoking in any city park or trail.
Anyone who does not follow the burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, be required to pay a penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to a year in jail.
If a wildfire starts as a result, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
Despite the high costs of not adhering to the fire ban, Sean Coubrough, Columbia Shuswap Regional District assistant regional fire chief, says campfires have been a problem across the vast district.
“All of the fire chiefs have had complaints and have responded with urgency,” says Coubrough, noting the issue has been primarily with campfires.
City of Salmon Arm Fire Chief Brad Shirley referred to the “stupidity” of whoever abandoned a campfire at 40 Street SE, up on the mountain side south of the airport.
He says thanks to a BC Wildfire Branch Rapattack crew, the fire was extinguished before it grew out of control, but the crew had to hike into the forest to find the blaze.
“It’s just so frustrating given the current fire conditions that people would so stupid, first of all in having a fire but then leaving it unattended,” he says, attributing the description as well to people who throw lighted cigarettes out of their car windows.
Helping fire victims
Area residents who want to help victims of the many fires burning in the province may do so locally by making a donation at a BC Government liquor store.
Donations collected at the till will go directly to the Red Cross.
Buckerfields is taking desperately needed donations of bed sheets, cages/crates, litter boxes, food dishes and kitty litter for the Canadian Disaster Animal Response team (CDART).