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Kamloops air pollution double the level that triggered 2015 ‘red alert’ in China

Smoke from wildfires has city at a 47 on health risk index. Lower Mainland is at 7.
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The Lower Mainland is experiencing another smoky day, but before you complain too much, be grateful you’re not in Kamloops right now.

The health risk across much of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley was 7 around noon today. That indicates a high health risk. In Kamloops, the figure as of 2 p.m. is 47.

For comparison, in 2015, China declared a pollution “red alert” when levels of PM 2.5 particles reached near 300 micrograms per cubic metre. As of 2 p.m., the same measure in Kamloops exceeded 850 micrograms per cubic metre.

The smoke is so bad, Thompson Rivers University has handed out masks for workers to wear.

RELATED: See image of smoke taken from NASA satellite.