The rest of the province also dealing with thick haze as smoky skies continue

The wildfire smoke has become so thick in B.C. that it’s blocking the sun in some communities.

People in Prince George woke up to dark skies Friday morning, looking out as if it were nighttime, until mid-morning when the haze started to thin. The air had turned much cooler as well.

Lindsay Orlandi, a student at University of Northern British Columbia, speaking to Black Press Media, described the city as apocalyptic.

“When the sun starts to get blacked out, it really freaks everyone out,” she said. “The sun is blacked out by the smoke and the [ash] kind of rains from the sky.”

9:30AM and it's as dark in the #CityofPG as the fear in the hearts of those coping with alerts and evacuations, and the confusion of the wildlife who are being displaced as the safety of their homes is ravaged by #BCWildfires#BeSafe pic.twitter.com/mW1LCoWYBu — Linda Glover (@GloverLindaJ) August 17, 2018

In many regions across B.C., the haze has turned the skies into ominous tones of grey and orange. The province remains under an advisory from Environment Canada because of the smoky skies, which has been in effect for close to a week.

Health officials have urged seniors, parents of young children and infants, and those with health conditions that could be exacerbated by the weather to take extra caution when outside.

People may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.

Orlandi said she’s resorted to wearing a mask a couple times to help relieve some of the symptoms.

“It (the smoke) has been making myself and other people pretty nauseous,” she said.



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Overlooking Castlegar, B.C.

To handle the high risk air quality conditions in Williams Lake, Tyler Bobby, a flagger with Peterson Contracting, wears a mask Friday morning while working at the Highway 97 Toop and Carson intersection upgrade project.

View from Three Sisters in Fernie, B.C.

In 100 Mile House Friday morning.

At Harrison Lake.

Smoky skies over Okanagan Lake in Penticton. (Photo courtesy of jurove/instagram)

At the shores of Dragon Lake near Quesnel.

Smoky sunset in Richmond (MoiraSmyth/Twitter)

Bridge and highway in Fort St. James Thursday (BC Wildfire Service/Twitter)