Wednesday September 16, 2020 | VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC [Updated September 17 & 18]
by Mary P Brooke, editor | Island Social Trends
Due to continued poor air quality in Central and Southern British Columbia, caused by smoke from forest fires in the western United States, Canada Post has been issuing service alerts showing which areas will have interrupted postal mail delivery.
“The safety of our employees is our number one priority,” it is stated by Canada Post.
Red and yellow:
- Red service alert means full service is suspended for the day, with delivery agents not being sent out due to unsafe air quality conditions.
- Yellow service means they are doing their best to deliver but probably with some delays.
September 16 mail delivery alerts:
Today September 16, the Canada Post delivery service alert shows Red service (no delivery) only for Castlegar and Trail on the BC mainland.
Today there was Yellow service (some delays) for these mainland locations: Abbotsford, Cloverdale, Delta, Maple Ridge, parts of Metro Vancouver, Mission, Nelson, New Westminster, Penticton, Powell River, Surrey, Vernon and White Rock.
Full service in Sooke today (September 16):
There was Yellow service (some delays) today in the Greater Victoria area, but with full mail service restored today to these regions, says Canada Post: Campbell River, Courtenay, Cranbrook, Duncan, Ganges, Kamloops, Kimberley, Mayne Island, Nanaimo, Okanagan Valley, Parksville, and Sooke.
UPDATE September 17 & 18:
A mail delivery alert for parts of Central and Southern British Columbia continued on Thursday and Friday, September 17 and 18 as a yellow service alert, including Greater Victoria (other affected areas were on the mainland including parts of Metro Vancouver, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey, Delta and White Rock).
Rating slightly lower this afternoon (September 16):
The Air Quality Health Index as of 4 pm today September 16 was at 8 (High Risk is 7-10) in the Saanich/Victoria area, as well as in the West Shore area.
Earlier today it had still been at 10+ (beyond Very High) where it has been for about a week now.
Skies have been grey or even with an orange tinge, throughout all daylight hours since the middle of last week.
The 10+ status for air quality ranks the south BC area as having some of the poorest air quality in the world right now.
The smoke from the wildfires contains particulate that includes the many things that have burned in the fires, including all the chemicals from homes, cars, clothing, metal, wood, and plastic as well as the forests that initially caught fire. Fire retardant chemicals will also be in the air that has reached BC.
