'Toxic Smoke' Is Now Blowing Across BC As If The Flooding Wasn't Bad Enough

As B.C. is still dealing with the many effects of the powerful storm that hit the province early this week, now potentially toxic smoke is also in the air.

The Abbotsford Police Department tweeted on Wednesday morning that anyone living in the North Parallel and Sumas Mountain Road area, where the smoke is blowing, should stay inside.

The dark smoke could be toxic, and the police are looking further into it now.

Chief Darren Lee, the City of Abbotsford fire chief, said in a news conference on Wednesday morning that the fire is in an RV dealership, and he estimated that about 100 recreational vehicles are on fire right now.

He said that it is a "fairly major fire event" that is ongoing under the transmission power lines.

Lee said that it is being managed by officials right now, and it is in a difficult location close to the power lines. This, as well as a propane filling station on one side of the fire, pose added risks.

Huge clouds of dark smoke were coming from the area Wednesday morning. Lee asked that everyone in the area keeps their windows and doors close to protect themselves from exposure.

This concerning event comes at the same time Abbotsford is dealing with extreme flooding, leading to a local state of emergency and an evacuation order for the Sumas Prairie region.

The entire province of B.C. is now also considering a state of emergency due to the catastrophic impacts of the storm.

One woman was killed after another mudslide occurred on Highway 99, and Vancouver is cut off by road from the rest of Canada because of highway closures.