Richmond, BC Live Wildfire Smoke Map
Get Alerts For Wildfires In Your Area
The moment a wildfire starts near you, you'll get an instant alert and simple tips to reduce your smoke exposure.
What's In The Smoke
30xSmaller than a human hair
Fine enough to reach deep into the lungs. A MERV 13 is built to capture it.
How Far It Travels
It Doesn't Stay Local
Smoke rides the wind far downwind — you can get smoky air with no fire nearby.
What To Do During A Smoke Event
Simple steps to reduce indoor exposure.
- Stay In, Close UpShut windows and doors to keep smoke out.
- Set Fan To "On"Keeps air cycling through your filter, not just when heating or cooling.
- Recirculate AirSwitch off fresh-air intake so you're not pulling smoke in.
- Run A MERV 13Built to capture the fine PM2.5 in smoke.
- Add A PurifierExtra filtration for the room you use most.
- Wear an N95 if OutsideFits snug to block fine particles — a cloth mask won't.
The Best Air Filter For Wildfire Smoke
During smoke events, the EPA recommends upgrading to a MERV 13 filter — or the highest-rated filter your system can handle — to help reduce the fine particles smoke brings indoors. MERV 13 is the level most home HVAC systems can run while still capturing PM2.5, the fine particulate that makes up the bulk of wildfire smoke.
- Captures PM2.5 particles
- Blocks ash, soot, and smoke odor
- Keeps your indoor air safe—even when the outdoor air is dangerous
- Meets the EPA's recommended rating for filtering fine wildfire smoke particles.
Wildfire Smoke FAQs
Facts About Wildfires
Over 70,000 wildfires burn in the U.S. every year.
Wildfire smoke can travel 1,000+ miles, affecting states that aren't even near the blaze.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can worsen asthma, trigger heart issues, and lead to ER visits.
Indoor air can hold more fine particles during wildfire events unless it's properly filtered.
The EPA advises using MERV 13 filters or portable HEPA air cleaners during wildfire smoke events.
Don't Wait Until The Smoke's Inside.
Use the live wildfire smoke tracker and upgrade your air filters today to protect your lungs and your home.
Shop Filters For Smoke Protection
Live Richmond, BC Forest Wildfire & Smoke Map Today: Local Air Quality Tracking & Indoor Protection Solutions
TL;DR
Forest fires almost never start inside Richmond, BC, but smoke from BC Interior and Washington State fires drifts in. Check the live map above and the Metro Vancouver Southwest AQHI. At AQHI 7, Filterbuy's action line, rely on MERV 13 and portable HEPA cleaners to cut indoor smoke particles.
Key Takeaways
Richmond's official air reading is the Metro Vancouver – SW AQHI.
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) runs from 1 to 10+. Filterbuy's action line is 7, where the High risk band starts.
Most smoke in Richmond comes from distant fires, such as the Brunswick Creek and Big Bar Complex fires in August 2026.
Vancouver Coastal Health and the US EPA both recommend MERV 13 or higher filters during smoke.
Is There a Wildfire or Smoke in Richmond, BC Today?
Richmond, BC rarely has flames, but it can have wildfire smoke. Filterbuy built the live map above from the same fire and smoke feeds as our British Columbia wildfire and smoke map. On Richmond's flat, developed delta, a "fire in Richmond, BC" almost always means drifting smoke. The Metro Vancouver Southwest AQHI tells you what it means for your health.
Richmond smoke check, September 30, 2026: The Province's air quality warnings page showed no active warnings. Warnings for Richmond appear on Metro Vancouver's air quality warnings page.
Which Live Fire and Smoke Maps Should Richmond Residents Check?
No single map tells the whole story, so Filterbuy uses them together. We check the SW AQHI for now, then BlueSky or FireWork for tonight. For alerts, use the sign-up under our map or Metro Vancouver's email warnings (subscribe via AirMap).
Bookmark these: BC Wildfire Service map · BlueSky Canada smoke forecast · FireWork smoke forecast · Metro Vancouver AirMap · Metro Vancouver – SW AQHI · BC air quality warnings
What Does Richmond's AQHI Number Mean for Your Home?
Canada's AQHI isn't the US Air Quality Index (0–500), and the two don't convert. Filterbuy's action line is AQHI 7, where the High risk band starts. At 7 or higher, keep a MERV 13 filter in your HVAC, set the thermostat fan to On, run a portable HEPA air cleaner in each occupied room (bedrooms first), and close the house up.
AQHI 7 is Filterbuy's action line, not a government threshold. AQHI categories: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Not medical advice.
At AQHI 7, the Province notes, the cause is usually PM2.5, the fine particles in smoke.
Why Does Wildfire Smoke Hit Richmond Differently Than the Rest of Metro Vancouver?
Richmond's coastal location often gives it cleaner air than the rest of the region. Filterbuy saw this when we lined up Metro Vancouver's August 2026 warnings against zone-by-zone AQHI readings.
On August 5, Metro Vancouver issued a region-wide yellow air quality warning. Yet the Southwest zone covering Richmond read AQHI 3 (low risk), while zones to the north read 7 (high risk). By August 7, Richmond's warning had been lifted while most of the region stayed under one.
Part of the reason is a daily inflow-outflow cycle that Metro Vancouver analysts describe. Outflow winds carry Interior smoke down the Fraser Canyon, usually overnight, while daytime inflow brings cleaner coastal air. When smoke is forecast, close bedroom windows before bed.
Underground peat is a local fire risk too. In 2018, a bog fire on the DND lands burned 12.3 hectares, and the fire chief urged downwind residents to keep windows closed. Experts warned peat can smoulder for weeks.
How Do You Keep Wildfire Smoke Out of a Richmond Home?
Start with official guidance: follow Metro Vancouver's air quality warnings and HealthLink BC, and check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. Filtration is one layer on top.
Furnace homes get two layers: a MERV 13 filter treats the whole house, and a portable HEPA cleaner treats each room harder. Without ducts, portable HEPA cleaners are the main defense.
Confirm the size printed on your current filter before ordering.
Before smoke season:
Find your filter size. A tip from Filterbuy's factory floor: order the nominal size printed on the frame. The filter is cut slightly smaller (our 20x20x1 measures 19.5 x 19.5 x 0.75 inches) so it slides in and seals. Odd slot? See our filter size guide.
Put MERV 13 in now and keep a spare. EPA notes most furnaces and HVAC systems can take MERV 13 without equipment problems, as long as the filter is replaced often.
At AQHI 7 or higher, Filterbuy recommends four steps:
Keep MERV 13 in the HVAC.
Set the thermostat fan to "On" so it filters continuously.
Run a portable HEPA cleaner in each occupied room, bedrooms first (with only one, use the bedroom).
Close the house up. Keep windows and doors shut, and skip candles, frying, smoking, and vacuuming without a sealed unit.
During a smoke event, check the filter often. EPA says to replace it once it looks dirty (dark brown or black), which can be well before its usual interval.
Pleated filters capture smoke particles, not odour-causing gases; for odours, see Filterbuy's Odor Eliminator line. True HEPA belongs in a portable unit, never a furnace slot, and our MERV 13 vs. HEPA guide explains why.
The DIY option: The BC Centre for Disease Control DIY air cleaner fact sheet pairs a 20-inch box fan with 20x20 MERV 13 filters. Use a certified fan made in 2012 or later with a cardboard shroud, and never leave it running unattended. Filterbuy's 20x20x1 MERV 13 filters fit this build; tape all four edges, since the filter runs half an inch small. A DIY unit is a reasonable stopgap, not a replacement for a certified air cleaner. Skip ionizers and ozone generators: EPA advises against air cleaners that produce ozone.
Filterbuy manufactures MERV 13 air filters in its U.S. factories in 600+ standard sizes and cuts custom sizes to within 1/8 inch.
The number everyone watches is the one outside. The number that decides how your family actually feels is the dust still sitting on your baseboards three weeks later.
Michelle Wan, Brand Manager and Air Quality Writer, Filterbuy
When the smoke clears, work through our post-smoke recovery checklist.
What Size Air Cleaner Do I Need for My Room?
This Filterbuy chart pairs EPA's two-thirds sizing rule with EPA's measured CADRs for DIY designs.
Minimum CADR = two-thirds of floor area, per US EPA. DIY figures are EPA chamber results with clean filters. Ceilings over 8 feet need more.
Supporting Statistics: What the Research Says
1. Wildfire Smoke Is Harder on Lungs Than Everyday Pollution
1.3%–10% vs. 0.67%–1.3%
A Southern California study found each 10 µg/m³ rise in wildfire PM2.5 raised respiratory hospitalizations by 1.3%–10%, against 0.67%–1.3% for other PM2.5. Source: Aguilera et al. (2021), NOAA archive.
2. High-Efficiency HVAC Filters Can Cut Indoor Particles by Up to 95%
Up to 95% · up to 85% · up to 24%
According to US EPA, central MERV 13–16 filters can cut indoor particles by up to 95%, high-efficiency portable cleaners by up to 85%, and setting the fan to "On" by up to 24%. Source: US EPA filtration fact sheet.
3. A Free Cardboard Shroud Raises a DIY Air Cleaner's Smoke CADR by 40%
Smoke CADR 111 → 156 with a shroud
In EPA smoke-chamber tests, a cardboard shroud raised a one-filter box fan's smoke CADR from 111 to 156. Source: US EPA DIY air cleaner research.
When Should Richmond Residents Get Medical Help for Smoke Exposure?
If you're unsure whether you need care, call HealthLink BC, the province's health line, at 8-1-1. Seek care for trouble breathing, chest pain, or a severe cough, and call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
People with heart or lung conditions, pregnant people, children, older adults, and outdoor workers face the highest risk. If you must go out, Vancouver Coastal Health recommends a well-fitted N95, KN95, or KF94 mask, not a bandana.
Frequently Asked Questions
What MERV Rating Do I Need for Wildfire Smoke?
MERV 13. EPA recommends a filter rated MERV 13 or higher in a central system during smoke events. Order MERV 13 in your size.
Why Can I Smell Smoke in Richmond When the Map Shows No Nearby Fire?
Smoke travels hundreds of kilometres, and a large local fire can trap smoke under an inversion, as a 2022 South Vancouver wood-recycling facility fire did.
Is It Safe to Open Windows in Richmond During a Smoke Warning?
Keep them closed during a warning. Watch the heat, though: HealthLink BC warns that indoor temperatures above 31°C can be dangerous for infants, older adults, and people with chronic conditions, so staying cool comes first.
Glossary
Air Quality Health Index (AQHI): Canada's 1-to-10+ health-risk scale for outdoor air.
PM2.5: Fine particles 2.5 microns or smaller, the main smoke pollutant.
MERV: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, the ASHRAE 52.2 filter efficiency scale.
HEPA: High-efficiency particulate air filter.
CADR: Clean Air Delivery Rate, an air cleaner's filtered airflow.
Filterbuy: A family-owned U.S. manufacturer of HVAC air filters, building them since 2013.
Before next smoke season, find your filter size and keep a spare Filterbuy MERV 13 on the shelf.
About the author: Michelle Wan, Filterbuy's Brand Manager and Air Quality Writer, works with its U.S. manufacturing team. Reviewed by David Clark, Licensed HVAC Technician.
Disclosure: Filterbuy makes the filters this page recommends; the health sources cited are independent.
Sources
Environment and Climate Change Canada: Metro Vancouver – SW AQHI
Province of BC: Air Quality Health Index table and health messages
US EPA: Wildfire Smoke Factsheet, Indoor Air Filtration (PDF)
US EPA: Research on DIY Air Cleaners to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors
NOAA Institutional Repository: Aguilera et al. (2021), Nature Communications
Global News: Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley air quality warning (Aug 5, 2026)