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Smoke lifting from Okanagan Valley

Health risk from smoke dropping to moderate levels
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The Okanagan is getting some relief from the blanket of smoke that has covered the valley. Steve Kidd/Western News

After days of being blanketed in thick smoke, the Okanagan is finally getting a break.

In most areas of the province, the Air Quality Health Index has dropped the health risk from smoke to the low to moderate range. Only the Castlegar area remains in the high to very high range for Sunday (Aug. 26), and even that is predicted to drop to the moderate range tomorrow.

That’s the lowest it’s been since Aug. 13.

Related: Smoky blanket hangs over Okanagan

For more about two weeks, the AQHI has been warning of high or very high health risks due to the smoke, which forced the cancellation of a number of events from soccer tournaments to the Super League Triathlon in Penticton and the Apple Triathlon in Kelowna last weekend.

The Aug. 26 ratings for the South, Central and North Okanagan are all currently rated as low, with a predicted rating of five, moderate, for the day, dropping to four in the evening, and also forecast for four tomorrow.


Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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