The BC Coroners Service has issued a public safety bulletin about wildfire smoke as it confirmed a nine-year-old boy died from a medical condition aggravated by the smoke.

The service says the sudden and unexpected death of Carter Vigh of 100 Mile House is “a heartbreaking loss for his family and the community.”

“The Province issues air-quality advisories and smoky-skies bulletins whenever an area of B.C. has been or is reasonably expected to be impacted by wildfire smoke,” the statement said.

“Smoke from wildfires is especially dangerous for people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, older people, and infants and young children.”

Carter’s mother, Amber Vigh, took to Facebook to share news of his passing last Tuesday, July 11.

“Carter will always be remembered for his contagious smile and laugh and always ensuring everyone felt special, loved, and welcomed into his life,” Amber said. “[He] loved to play soccer and was the biggest cheerleader for his favorite hockey team, the Wranglers.”

“His love for cars, trucks, and motorcycles along with his extraordinary dance moves will never be forgotten.”

The Vigh family hopes to raise awareness about the seriousness of asthma.

“We want people to know how quickly things can change,” Amber said in the statement, adding that her son’s death came despite the family being diligent about his care, keeping watch of the boy’s condition closely and having a puffer ready.

“Yesterday we had to say our final goodbyes to you,” she wrote in another post Saturday addressed to her son. “My perfect baby boy, laying on that bed. I truly don’t know how we can ever possibly heal from this!”

A celebration of life will be held at the South Cariboo Recreation Center in 100 Mile House this Saturday, July 22 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. There will also be a procession showcasing Carter’s favorite cars, trucks, and motorcycles at 12:30 p.m. that day.

“The Vigh family requests that people attending the ceremony wear their favourite sports jersey in honour of Carter and his love of sports,” Amber said. “The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff and emergency services at the 100 Mile House Hospital for their efforts, care, and compassion.”

People can also make a donation in lieu of flowers via GoFundMe here or directly to the Vigh family.

There are more than 370 wildfires burning in the province and air-quality alerts from wildfire smoke cover a large section of the province.

The BC Coroners Service says in a statement that as the province experiences greater impacts from the effects of climate change, residents are learning more about the risks associated with wildfire smoke, extreme heat and other environmental factors.

“The tragic loss of life during the 2021 heat dome resulted in far greater public awareness of the potentially fatal impacts of extreme heat,” the Coroners statement said.

“Our communities are now becoming more aware of the risks presented by wildfire smoke and the measures that can be taken to reduce those risks.”

In May, Michael Mehta, a professor of geography and environmental studies at Thompson Rivers University, said while the risks associated with wildfire smoke are numerous and serious, but not easily conveyed or understood by the public.

Mehta also said he worries about people of all ages as they’re all negatively affected by wildfire smoke exposure, leading to an increased risk of strokes and a host of other health problems.

The BC Coroners Service issued these tips to stay safe from the impacts of smoke urging people to reduce exposure by:

• staying indoors with windows closed;
• keeping windows closed and air conditioning on when driving;
• reducing time spent outdoors and avoiding rigorous outdoor exercise;
• using high-quality, portable air cleaners with HEPA filtration to remove smoke particles from indoor air; and
• visiting places with controlled air supply, such as shopping malls, swimming pools or public libraries.

– With files from The Canadian Press