Vancouver is Number 1!!!

[Burnaby49]

At least we were number 1 yesterday, a short, short, reign at the top. Number 1 of what? The heaviest air pollution of any city in the world! Beijing? Delhi? Sao Paulo? All worthy contenders but American forest fires put us over the top. We were only number 3 on Friday, the first two spots taken by Portland and Seattle. But an increase in a breeze from the south carried victory over the border with it.

It's easy to judge from my place. We have a panoramic view looking north over northern Burnaby across the Burrard Inlet to the Coast mountains on the north shore. On Friday the mountains were completely obscured and Burnaby Mountain (actually just a hill) about three miles away was haze-bound but still discernable, at least in outline. On Saturday Burnaby Mountain was gone too and a group of very tall condominium towers about two miles from us and clearly visible Friday were obscured but still visible. Today everything is gone.

Apparently the number 1 spot today, world-wide, is Keremeos, a small town about 220 miles east of here. A bit awkward since my wife and I had planned a short three day trip to a lodge there next week. It was to be our first trip this year but not likely if the smoke persists.

British Columbia had been very lucky this year with forest fires, if you call Covid-19 "luck". All of our provincial parks were shut down to visitors over the fire season and we had unseasonable rains. In 2018 we had a massive provincial-wide fire problem and faced smoke problems in Vancouver similar to our current situation but from local Canadian fires.

[eric]

You have my sympathies. It started rolling in here very early this morning when I woke up feeling as if I was being strangled. Still only a 5 to 7 on the AQHI and you guys are 10+ but the dust and crap kicked up from the harvest certainly doesn't help.

[JamesVincent]

Another successful American import. What would you guys do without us?

[Burnaby49]

Another successful American import. What would you guys do without us?

Be breathing fresh air? Actually you Americans have my sympathy for once. The Pacific coast is burning up, it's apocalyptical down there. We're just facing the severe health warnings. I took a three mile walk on Friday and felt like crap afterwards, been coughing since. I wouldn't think of doing it today.

Same thing happened when Mt. St. Helens blew. We were lost in a fog. When it cleared everything was covered in volcanic ash.

[The Observer]

This is the view of our local mountain range from my dining room, taken last week after a sprinking of snow. Those mountains are about 7 miles away.


Here is the view as of this afternoon:

[Burnaby49]

The afternoon image doesn't show.

[The Observer]

The afternoon image doesn't show.

Of course it doesn't - that was the whole point, to show how bad the view had been obscured!

The truth of the matter is that I don't know what happened. The image was still showing for me today when I returned here, and to top it off, the post had somehow gotten posted again. I cleaned it all up and hopefully got a working image that can be seen.

[Burnaby49]

Correct photo this time. Welcome to my world!

Today is the worst yet. One landmark I hadn't previously noted is an office highrise, about 20 stories or so, less than a mile from my house. I didn't include it in the narrative because it's been clearly visible the whole time. Completely gone this morning. Now all I can see of my once-spectacular view is the houses across the street. Your 'after' photo has the sun shining through, not here. The air reeks of it, like the fires are a few miles off.

[JamesVincent]

Wondering if and when it'll reach the eastern seaboard. We've had effects from other wildfire seasons before, with haze and some incredible sunsets.

Meanwhile Burnaby look at the bright side. You don't have to convince yourself that it's ok to drink at noon since it's already dusk out.

[morrand]

It's already reached the Middle West, anyway. Getting very dusky conditions and a pink sun at 5 PM.

[Burnaby49]

Anyone wanting to vicariously share the Vancouver experience, here you go;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0G9Ku6ISJo

a half-hour video of someone driving around in the muck today. Check it about the 7:00 mark for an idea what it's like from my front window. Note how all the car lights are on at 4:30 on a late summer afternoon.

After three days wife and I are constantly coughing. Very irritated throats. So if you really want to share the experience knock back a pack or so of cigarettes before watching.

[Pottapaug1938]

The haze has reached Boston; but so far, it's a very light haze which has not diminished the sunlight in any perceptible fashion.

40 years ago, after the Mt. St. Helens explosion, I remember seeing light gray ash, from the explosion, on my ca. I was then living in a different Boston neighborhood.

[wserra]

on my ca.

Yes, that's how they say it in Boston.

[Pottapaug1938]

on my ca.

Yes, that's how they say it in Boston.

"Wisstah", too. Although I was born and raised in a city immediately bordering Boston, my accent comes from Worcester, where my mother and her parents were born and raised, and where I have spent a lot of time, over the years, with their extended family.