Air Quality Improves With Weather Change

By Corey Fischer

Aug 27, 2018 | 5:46 AM

The showers and cooler weather over the weekend helped produce a major improvement in air quality for much of BC.

Vernon’s health risk index went from very high last week — to one or low today which is where most BC cities are.

Kelowna is also at one on the scale.

Vernon and Kelowna both received 4.2 millimetres of rain on Sunday, while Salmon Arm got 2.5 mm.

It was the first rain in Vernon since Aug 12 (6.0 mm).

1.5 Hectare Blaze

Crews battling wildfire near Cherryville

3h ago

Too Hot for Dogs

Don't leave pets alone in hot vehicles: RCMP

4h ago

Smoky Skies

Air quality warning issued for the Okanagan

5h ago

On the wildfire front, the weather led to some evacuation orders and alerts being lifted – but over 500 fires are still burning in what has been another damaging season.

More than 945,000 hectares have burned since April, the second-most in a single season since records began in 1950.

Only last year had more terrain scorched at 1.2 million hectares.

by Corey Fischer

1.5 Hectare Blaze

Crews battling wildfire near Cherryville

A wildfire that sparked in the North Okanagan Friday is being actioned by provincial crews.The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said a lightning strike ignited a 1.5 hectare fire in the Fairbrother Creek area near Cherryville.As of time of publication the fire was not contained. The BCWS said it had a team of 17 firefighte...

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More Construction

Road work to close parts of Gordon Drive and Lexington Drive in Kelowna

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3h ago

$115K Raised

Midsummer's Eve of the Arts raises record funds for public art gallery

Vernon Public Art Gallery's milestone annual fundraiser was a great success.The 40th edition of the Midsummer's Eve of the Arts raised a record-breaking over $115,000 dollars for the art gallery (VPAG).This was the fourth year in a row that the major fundraiser for the gallery broke its fundraising record."The suc...

4h ago

Too Hot for Dogs

Don't leave pets alone in hot vehicles: RCMP

With temperature soaring to the mid- to high-30s, police are reminding people to not leave their pets in their cars.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said vehicles can heat up very quickly, even when parked in the shade or with the window open, creating conditions that can be dangerous for an animal and put them at risk of se...

4h ago

Smoky Skies

Air quality warning issued for the Okanagan

Wildfire smoke led to an air quality warning being issued for the Okanagan Friday.Environment Canada issued the warning saying the smoke settling over the valley was expected to increase through the day and into the night, causing poor air quality and reduced visibility."During a wildfire, smoke conditions can cha...

5h ago

Emergency Disaster Services

Vernon Salvation Army mobile team out supporting vulnerable people

Salvation Army in Vernon will take its operations on the road as a heat wave hits the Okanagan.The organization's Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) team will be sent out through the community to provide bottled water, nutritious snacks, and juice to vulnerable people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and housing ...

7h ago

Structural Fire

Workshop destroyed in early morning West Kelowna fire

A workshop near Gellatly Bay was destroyed in an early morning fire Thursday.West Kelowna Fire Rescue responded to reports of a structure fire on Harding Road at about 4:50 a.m.Crews arriving at the scene found the workshop fully engulfed in flames and launched a defensive attack to contain the blaze.Four fire apparatu...

7h ago

Plan Approved

Regional growth strategy consultation plan approved by Central Okanagan board

The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) board has approved a plan to gather public input on a new regional growth strategy.The consultation plan was adopted July 16 and will guide how the RDCO engages residents, municipalities, First Nations, community organizations and government agencies during the developme...

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Housing Starts

Local housing construction declined in June, down for year so far

The housing construction sector saw another decline in June.Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported 13 housing starts in Greater Vernon this June.That was down from the 19 housing starts in May, and from the 22 starts recorded in June of 2025.As of the end of June, there had been 88 housing projects sta...

12h ago

Air Quality Improves With Weather Change

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