Officials in Metro Vancouver fielded about 100 complaints about a putrid smell permeating British Columbia鈥檚 Lower Mainland on Sunday, prompting the regional federation of municipalities to issue an air quality bulletin for the area.

It said an incident at Burnaby鈥檚 Parkland fuel refinery caused the 鈥渟trong chemical odour鈥� around the region and enforcement officers were sent to the site to make sure Parkland was complying with it鈥檚 emissions permit. Metro Vancouver is responsible for issuing air emissions permits and environmental regulation.

Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry said the odour was tied to the 鈥渉ydro carbon industrial event鈥� from the refinery in neighbouring Burnaby.

She said Burnaby fire crews were on scene at the refinery, but the 鈥渟trong odour鈥� was 鈥減ersisting and forced the City of Vancouver to issue a public safety advisory across the area.

Fry said Burnaby was monitoring air quality, and Vancouver鈥檚 public safety advisory urged residents to close their windows if they smell anything or move indoors 鈥渙ut of an abundance of caution.鈥�

Burnaby鈥檚 Parkland refinery issued an advisory Friday about an 鈥渆levated flare鈥� burn-off because of 鈥渆xtreme weather conditions.鈥�

The advisory says people who live near the refinery may notice noise and 鈥渉igher than usual flare鈥� from the facility.

It said the refinery notified regulators of the flare event and would be following safety and environment protocols.

The City of Burnaby said in a news release that the 鈥渋ndustrial incident鈥� happened around 7:30 in the morning, and fire crews set up a perimeter around the facility.

The city鈥檚 fire department found 鈥渘o immediate concerns related to the safety of citizens,鈥� but advised people to close windows or move indoors if they smelled the odour.

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