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Smoke from wildfires continues to permeate the skies in and around Williams Lake prompting Environment Canada to issue a special air quality statement again on Monday.
Presently the air quality index for Williams Lake is rated at seven, down from Sunday’s very high risk and 10-plus rating.
Seven however, is still at the lower end of the high risk seven to 10, baseline, so anyone consider at-risk is encouraged to go inside for strenuous activities they would normally do outside.
“Children and the elderly should also take it easy,” advises Environment Canada.
It is anticipated the seven rating will continue through Monday and Tuesday.
Monday’s high is predicted to be 27C with smoke in the air. Tuesday the temperature will increase to 29C with more smoke, while on Wednesday sunshine and 25C are in the forecast.
Read more: Special air quality statement in effect for Cariboo
For daycare providers, such as Exploring the Puddle in Williams Lake, it has been a challenge to find things to do with the children because of the smoky conditions.
“We are an outdoor daycare, so we have had to find things for the children to do indoors,” said Sheila Olson, owner and educator at Exploring the Puddle. “If we do go outside we go for slow walks to make sure to keep their heart rates down and not to over exert them.”
There have also been a few children who have had shown some anxiety when they see the smoke because of last year’s wildfires, Olson added.
While the thunderstorms predicted for Saturday evening in Williams Lake did not materialize, there was rainfall which brought some reprieve.
On Sunday Williams Lake received 5.8 mm of rain fell, according to Environment Canada.
Other areas in the Cariboo were much harder hit, resulting in several mudslides.
Read more: Highway 97 fully reopened; Highway 1 reopened to single-lane, alternating traffic