wood ash

The gout symptoms in my right foot are subsiding, so as this particular situation is improving, we have a lot of fine particulate in the air locally. This is coming from the numerous forest fires that the interior of the province is experiencing. There are some 400 fires as I learned yesterday. So how is this ash getting here? Well, the jet stream is currently running south above the Coast Mountains (I believe on the leeward side) and is dragging the fine wood ash south along with it. That would account for why we have this fine particulate in the lower mainland and why my eyes are red and sore, particularly my left! We're expecting some rain on the weekend, so this will hopefully settle the stuff and bring an end to irritated eyes!!! - V