Everyone in the East Kootenay is choking on smoke today, Friday, August 7, as wildfires burn in the region and beyond. An orange air quality warning is in place for Cranbrook, South Country, Columbia Valley including Golden, Kimberley and Creston, while the Elk Valley (Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford) and Kootenay National Park are under a yellow air quality alert. “Smoke continues to pool under the high-pressure system parked over B.C., with widespread air quality impacts throughout the Southern and Central Interior. Brief and sporadic pockets of clearing may occur in some regions today, but widespread clearing is not expected,” Environment Canada said. If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.e-KNOW file photoe-KNOWPlease enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.