B.C. wildfire smoke lingers over N.S., making for some stunning sunsets and sunrises
The smoke from Western Canada will likely clear by Saturday evening, says Environment Canada
Smoke from British Columbia wildfires continues to linger over Nova Scotia, turning the sun and moon a hazy reddish colour.
The smoke wafted into the Maritimes on Friday and was still visible Saturday, although it's beginning to move east over the Atlantic Ocean, said Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Crenna.
The smoke can make for impressive sunsets and sunrises because it scatters light that isn't red, said Crenna.
"The blue and the other colours tend to move off in different directions so when you're looking at the sun directly, then you're seeing just the red stuff getting through," he said.
He said people likely won't notice a decrease in air quality because the smoke is moving at a high altitude — between 3,000 and 6,100 metres.
"A tiny bit of it might peak down to the surface but not enough to notice it.… You wouldn't smell it like you might smell your neighbour's cookout next door," Crenna said.
smoky sunrise on a few webcams this morning.... <a href="https://t.co/ltOFNmRhPO">pic.twitter.com/ltOFNmRhPO</a>
—@YHZweatherguyBy Saturday morning the smoke was dissipating in New Brunswick and western Prince Edward Island and is expected to clear out of the Maritimes by the evening.
Environment Canada said smoke from the fires could return next week.
With files from Blair Sanderson