Our air worse than Beijing's

Photo: NASA

Air quality across much of B.C. is worse than in one of the world's most notoriously polluted cities.

As wildfire smoke blankets the province, the air we're breathing is more dangerous to your health than in Beijing, China.

Air quality advisories remain in place for the entire Okanagan as well as Metro Vancouver.

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is the main concern, and air quality has continued to be rated at a 10+ or high risk across much of Southern B.C..

"You can definitely feel it in your nose and in your lungs," construction worker Nathan Joe told CTV on Tuesday in North Vancouver.

PM2.5 refers to particles 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter that can make it into your lungs.

A healthy level is considered 25 or below, but on Wednesday morning, Kelowna's rating was 155. Beijing's was 59.

The poor air quality is most likely to affect the elderly, young or those with chronic health conditions.

"We're all inhaling these things, and so we all have to sort of monitor how we're feeling and know ourselves and work with our doctors to figure out what's best for us when the air quality gets like this," says Dr. Mark Lysyshyn of Vancouver Coastal Health.

– with files from CTV Vancouver