An update on the smoke coming from the British Columbia fires indicates we're not going to see the end anytime soon.

"There’s no end to the amount of smoke being produced in British Columbia because of all the fires, no relief, no rain and the wind directing the smoke our way," said Terri Laing with Environment Canada.

Although the southeast hasn't had as much smoke as B.C. and Alberta, that doesn't mean it won't continue moving across the region.

Laing said it's all dependent a few factors, as well as on the B.C. fires.

"It depends on how much smoke comes from British Colombia and it'll also depend on the stability of the atmosphere we have here, meaning is the atmosphere trapping smoke, is it coming down to the surface and that's why on Sunday it looks like that will be the case we see as more of it's coming to the surface," she explained.

She said the smoke is a factor in the not-so-high temperatures this week.

"The smoke acts as a little bit of filter on the temperatures, but unfortunately we do not have the ability to put smoke into the long-term forecast," she said.

She noted that we're on par with the seasonal mercury numbers.

"It looks like the temperatures will stay on the seasonal values, although it would be nice to get some rain," she said. "We haven't seen rain is a very long time across many regions, but we don't see that coming quite yet."

She advises people with breathing issues and other health issues to heed the warning from the health officials, by taking care when there is smoke in the air and not putting themselves at risk.

 

(With files from Sarah Hodgeson).