Environment Canada expands air alerts as wildfire smoke spreads over B.C.

VANCOUVER — Environment Canada's special air-quality statements for wildfire smoke have now expanded to cover most of British Columbia, with air quality at its worst possible level in parts of the Fraser Valley.

The alerts advise people to limit or avoid outdoor activity and are now in place for all of B.C. outside of Vancouver Island, the Central and North Coast, Haida Gwaii and about a quarter of the province on its northern edge.

An air-quality warning continues to be in effect in Metro Vancouver, covered by orange smoke haze for a third day.

Monitoring from the Metro Vancouver Regional District shows air-quality levels at the worst level of 10-plus in the eastern Fraser Valley near Chilliwack and Hope, posing a "very high-risk" to health.

Environment Canada says the smoke over much