By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Air quality in Courtenay is improving while pollution caused by wood stove smoke has been steadily decreasing over the past five years, according to a recent report presented to the City of Courtenay council.
Continue reading Air quality in the City of Courtenay is improving thanks to local initiatives, report says
By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It’s early June and there are 80 wildfires burning in the province, according to the BC Wildfire Service dashboard.
There are evacuation orders in place for areas of the Peace River Regional District, and localities close to significant fires are blanketed in smoke.
Fires are also bringing hazy skies to Vancouver and other areas of the province farther away from active fires. Across the continent, smoke is coating Toronto and New York right now.
While smoky days and even weeks might be a regular feature of future Canadian summers, they’re not something we should be complacent with, according to health experts.
Continue reading Wildfire Smoke Is Making Us Sick
By Melissa Renwick, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As the heat of the summer extends into October there has been a prolonged forest fire season. As of Oct. 18, the province has 201 active fires with six having started in the previous two days.
Though two of the four fires in the Port Alberni area are no longer burning, four in Strathcona, and four between Gold River and Zeballos remain.
Continue reading Wildfires affect air quality, impacting schools on Vancouver IslandBy Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca
Vancouver Island’s Strathcona Regional District (SRD), in partnership with the BC Lung Association, has evolved its wood stove exchange program. It now offers rebates, ranging from $300-$750, for upgrading stoves to less polluting, more efficient models and converting to natural gas or pellet sources—or to heat pumps—in an effort to reduce air pollution. The program is underway and runs through until the end of 2022.
Continue reading Cash rebates encourage residents to switch from wood stoves, reducing air pollutionCKTZ News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The air quality and visibility over the weekend was noticeably affected by particulates in forest fire smoke traveling across the landscape, and will likely be present in the region into Wednesday afternoon.
Continue reading Wildfire smoke clouding the skies
