And that's not to mention many more cases of milder respiratory symptoms, and time lost from work and school. Meanwhile, new research in the US links fine particulates with tens of thousands of deaths annually in that country. Some are known to cause cancer. It's a bright sunny day, until someone lights a backyard fire. A plume of smelly, grey smoke soon obscures the houses in your neighbourhood.
Smoke is very effective at reducing visibility.
In fact, it can blot out the landscape so much that road and air travel are hampered, and beautiful vistas are hidden. The Government of British Columbia is taking action on many fronts to reduce smoke from the main provincial sources. Burners in populated areas are to be shut down by 1999, and 2005 is the target for burners in remote areas. Backyard burning is under municipal jurisdiction, so the provincial government cannot regulate it. Many municipal bylaws dealing with backyard burning are for fire protection, and often are not intended to protect air quality.