At Liard hot springs campground as the smoke enveloped us the sun shone orange through the haze and then we discovered that the smoky road we had taken from Watson lake to get here had been closed earlier in the afternoon. The road was still closed the next morning when we left, and still closed four days later when I typed this - It would seem we got through just in time. There are currently in excess of 500 wildfires in British Columbia with a total of 6000 hectares burning. Not as bad a last year when 12,000 hectares was alight all at once! Our journey east took us into more smoke. The plan was to stop at Stone Mountain Provincial park for a summit hike. Occasionally the sun briefly showed itself through a window in the smog or we could see way up high a patch of blue or sunlight illuminating clouds, it was all very strange. For the second time we encountered Bison by the roadside and in the road. They didn't take any notice of us but just kept on grazing. At Muncho lake we drove out of the smoke, the views were very welcome. Looking back everything behind was hidden in a grey blanket. In front of us it all looked very promising, we encountered Cariboo and then the scenery disaperared once more. Stone mountain was nowhere to be seen, we kept on driving. We stopped at Fort Nelson which was only slightly smoky. We tried to get info on the road and conditions ahead but received no positive news. Eventually after a day of just driving we stopped at Pink Mountain RV park. Just a few hours earlier they had sunshine and a blue sky but not anymore. The RV park was full of construction lorries and workers who were slowly rebuilding sections of the Alaskan highway. It wasn't a pretty place to stop but it was quiet with good facilities. Another day on the road, to add to the smoke we now had rain. Driving conditions not pleasant at all. We had a lengthy stop at Fort St. John to buy me a new a mobile phone (mine has been broken for over a month now), to stock up on various items that had been so expensive everywhere else and to extend our motor insurance (which was unsuccessful). Another hour and we finished the day's drive in Dawson Creek where the Alaska highway starts. The scenery (that we could glimpse) has changed from mountains and lakes to flat or rolling with fields of hay, farms, ranches, industrial sites. Even if the sun was shining it wouldn't be half as pretty as what we have left behind but we are on our way to more mountains. Dawson Creek was circled in a grey murky atmosphere but it didn't smell. We have been putting the same clothes on day after day as there was no point in having our entire wardrobe stink. Now it was time to visit the laundromat - boy we smelt lovely after a hot shower and a change of clothes. It's cold here!