FORT ST. JOHN -- Fort St. John residents have been noticing an increase in fog and smoke for the past few days, dubbing the two “smog.”
According to Environment Canada, fog occurs when the air cools enough that water vapour condenses in the air and forms suspended droplets. Fog forms with two elements, water vapour and cold air. As the city has had light rain, it increased the amount of moisture in the air.
At the same time, there is still wildfire smoke from the Stoddart Creek and Donnie Creek wildfires. While moisture helps decrease fire activity, the fires are over 600,000 hectares combined. Recent winds have pushed the smoke over the city.
Fog causes more particulate matter and the potential for polluted air, leading to reduced visibility for drivers. While the fog is lifting, smoke is still impacting visibility, explains Environment Canada. Their spokesperson says, “even if the fog burns off, the smoke is still around.”
They further state that there’s potential for local “smog” until the end of October but it depends on the weather pattern. Environment Canada says they will continue to issue warnings depending on winds, atmosphere stability, air moisture and rain.
They advise drivers to check Environment Canada before travelling and stay aware of road conditions.
