Wildfire smoke chokes western Canada skies as air quality warnings issued

Smoke choked skies in Metro Vancouver as fires continued to rage across Canada on Sunday, 20 August.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District remains under an air quality advisory due to the hazy skies which resulted from the multiple blazes burning across British Columbia.

At least 35,000 people have been placed under evacuation orders in the western province due to the fires.

The Canadian military is being deployed to assist with tackling the blazes, Justin Trudeau said on Sunday.

A state of emergency has been declared in British Columbia and a ban has been imposed on non-essential travel to free up accommodation for evacuees and firefighters.