Image credit - CFJC Today

By Michael Reeve

LATE SEASON SMOKE

Smoke and warmer-than-usual temperatures expected to persist through weekend: Environment Canada

Sep 4, 2025 | 4:23 PM

KAMLOOPS — Environment Canada currently has removed one of its weather alerts active for the Kamloops region.

While a heat warning for the Thompson region has ended, a special air quality statement remains in effect due to late season wildfire activity. The smoke is expected to hang around for a few days, with the heat lingering a while longer.

Kamloops has set multiple new record daytime highs over the past two weeks as a ridge of high pressure has remained stationed over top of the B.C. Interior.

“It’s been a long stretch. Heat warnings have been out for a good chunk of that,” said Matt Loney, Environment Canada meteorologist. “For this time of year to have this period of such a sustained record-breaking or near-record-breaking temperatures would be considered unusual and almost on the extreme end.”

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The now smoke-filled skies of the Thompson Valley are providing a bit of cooling relief for the community.

“Our computer models don’t have a really good ability to calculate how much smoke will take off the temperatures in terms of decreasing the temperatures,” said Loney. “Something we monitor but depending on how thick the smoke is, it could lop off a couple of degrees from the daytime highs.”

But while it may knock off a degree or two, the smoke brings with it plenty of negative health impacts.

“Those who have longstanding health conditions, COPD or asthma, heart disease are at higher risk of health impacts from the smoke,” said Interior Health Medical Health Officer Dr. Andy Delli Pizzi. “As well as pregnant people, infants, young children and the elderly, as well, so those groups have to take special precautions.”

The smoke is expected to lessen but stick around for a few days, as Loney noted it will get hung up on the current ridge and remain draped across the Interior.

“We are not quite at the point in this moderate range where we would have to cancel outdoor activities, or the schools would cancel outdoor activities for everyone,” said Delli Pizzi. “But certainly those with chronic conditions — so children with asthma or those who have other conditions that predispose them to more severe impacts — they would have to really consider reducing their outdoor activity at these levels.”

Environment Canada is looking ahead to the end of the weekend for when conditions could begin to change for Kamloops.

“Looks like cooler weather would be on the way in that scenario, much higher humidities, better chance of showers about,” added Loney, “and probably bringing those fire indices lower — so that is good news. We get a shift in the pattern, things will ventilate, the smoke will go away.”