VANCOUVER -- Smoke from dozens of fires in British Columbia's Interior has prompted expanded air quality advisories for most of the southern part of the province.
The advisory of poor air quality and reduced visibility covers an area stretching from the Cariboo to the Alberta-B.C. border and all the way to eastern Vancouver Island.
Shifting winds from the Interior brought a smoky haze to Metro Vancouver on Tuesday and the regional district says the problem may persist for several days.
The district says a high concentration of ground-level ozone is expected to reach advisory levels in eastern parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley because of the hot weather.
The highest levels on the provincial air quality index are in the central Fraser Valley, Kamloops, Squamish, Whistler and Williams Lake.
People with health conditions, along with infants and the elderly, are encouraged to stay in air-conditioned environments and if others find their breathing becomes laboured they're advised to slow down their activity.
