Dozens of wildfires are raging on Vancouver Island, but it's smoke from B.C.'s Interior that has brought some of the worst air quality ratings in the world.

The Air Quality Health Index for much of Vancouver Island on Monday exceeded the maximum rating of 10, which poses a "very high" health risk.

"So Vancouver Island's definitely been flirting with some of the worst air quality readings in the world," said Environment Canada Meteorologist Matt MacDonald.

The haze has put air quality in Victoria on par with Mumbai, India, and Chinese megacities like Shanghai.

MacDonald said the poor conditions are a result of an outflow from B.C.'s Interior that pushed a mass of wildfire smoke over to Vancouver Island.

"The only areas that are faring a bit better are the west side of the island that are more exposed to that fresh Pacific air," he said.

While the situation is bad, MacDonald said there was hope for some relief later in the week.

"Monday and Tuesday will probably be some of our worst air quality that we've seen this summer," he said. "As we get into Wednesday, we're expecting what we call a marine push, so that nice, fresh Pacific air is going to push on to the South Coast and should help mix on some of that smoke."

A trough of cooler weather is expected closer to Thursday and Friday, and it could even result in some much-needed rain for B.C.'s South Coast, MacDonald said.

It can't come soon enough for people like Marcia Lieva, who was visiting the island from Vernon in hopes the smoke situation would be better on the coast.

"You can feel it in your lungs, you feel it through your nostrils, your eyes get irritated," said Lieva at the Esquimalt Lagoon, where haze limited the normally breathtaking views. "We didn't think that coming by the ocean with the breeze that we'd have this kind of smoke, so it's disappointing. I'm really sad about it."

Health officials are urging Vancouver Island residents and visitors to limit their physical activity outside while the smoke persists.

Seniors and children are warned not to exert themselves outdoors at all.

The smoke is expected to linger in the area until later this week.