GOLDEN, BC — Whether from wildfires or slash burning, where there is smoke, there is particulate. Particle pollution is a mixture of microscopic solids and liquid droplets suspended in air and produced by a variety of emissions such as wildfire smoke, open burning of slash, residential wood smoke, road dust and local industry activity, among others. Particulate matter impacts health and levels in Golden are often higher than in many other communities in the province. …By virtue of the area’s topography, inversions are common, particularly in winter when many residents burn wood to heat their homes, says Town of Golden Mayor Ron Oszust. …“The catalyst was the industry slash pile” he said. “We realized it would be a whole lot better to have a bit of smoke than to have a full-out forest fire at our doorstep burning us out.”