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He said a north-to-northeast wind was blowing the smoke into the region, and it was mixing with marine air causing a haze.

Lundquist said the smoke was likely higher up, which is why there was no air-quality advisory in effect for the region. The smoke should clear up in the next few days in Metro but may linger in other parts of the province, Lundquist added.

Julie Saxton, a Metro air-quality planner, said the region has 31 air-quality stations in Metro and the Fraser Valley. She said while there was wildfire smoke detected in the region Tuesday and Wednesday, the fine particulate matter wasn’t at dangerous levels.

An air-quality advisory typically will be issued when the particulate matter goes above 25 micrograms a cubic metre. On Wednesday, some areas were 16 or 17, she said, but most stations were at less than 10 micrograms a cubic metre on a 24-hour average.

The federal weather agency on Wednesday said the air-quality level in Metro was two, or low-risk. The highest in the province was Level 4, or moderate risk for poor air quality, in Fort St. John, Kamloops, Prince George, Williams Lake and Smithers.

During smoky conditions, the province advises to stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes difficult or you feel unwell. It also advises staying cool and drinking plenty of fluids, and carrying rescue medication (for example, asthma medication) at all times.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says on Tuesday that there were two new lightning-caused and four new human-caused wildfires. Since April 1, there have been 209 wildfires in B.C.