Residents in the Lower Mainland are still caught in the haze from a 20-hectare fire in Delta's Burns Bog.

Water bombers and helicopters attempted to put out the blaze yesterday while firefighters used water from a high tide to flood the bog, hoping it would quench the fire burning over a foot under the peat.

"It's a pretty substantial fire we're dealing with," said Delta Fire deputy chief Rick Lehbauer yesterday. The Delta fire department is coordinating the operation. "We tried to contain it overnight but it grew to 20 hectares by morning."

Using pump stations to hold water in the bog after high tide proved helpful.

"By keeping the water level up, we can worry about the top and limit the fires burning under the bog," he said.

The fire could be seen - and smelled - across the Lower Mainland as a blanket of smoke covered the area.

Fire departments in the Lower Mainland area received calls throughout the day from people thinking there was a fire nearby. Health officials are suggesting that people with respiratory problems stay indoors and keep their air conditioning on to avoid any complications from smoke.