Smoke advisory for Okanagan

OKANAGAN — Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the entire Okanagan valley. The alert was first issued Tuesday, then re-issued again Friday morning.

“Smoky skies advisories have been issued for most of the Southern Interior because of forest fire smoke that is affecting the area,” according to Environment Canada.

Interior Health is giving the following tips to reduce your health risk:

• People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke
  and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure.
  If any symptoms are noted, affected individuals should take steps to reduce their
  exposure to smoke and if necessary see their physician. People with symptoms
  should go to their health care provider, walk in clinic or emergency department
  depending on severity of symptoms.
• Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity – if your breathing becomes
  difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
• Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
• Smoke levels may be lower indoors; however, levels of smoke particles will still be
  increased. If you stay indoors, be aware of your symptoms.
• Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air. Keep in mind
  that staying indoors may help you stay cool and provide some relief from the smoke,
  however many air conditioning systems do not filter the air or improve indoor air
  quality.
•  Reduce indoor pollution sources such as smoking or burning other materials.
•  You may be able to reduce your exposure to smoke by moving to cleaner air.
  Conditions can vary dramatically by area and elevation.
•  Residents with asthma or other chronic illness should activate their asthma or
  personal care plan.
•  Pay attention to local air quality reports, air quality may be poor even though smoke
  may not be visible.
•  Commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters can further
  reduce poor indoor air quality near the device.
•  Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from
  short-term exposure to air pollution.
•  For general information about smoke and your health, contact HealthLink BC
  available toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-1-1, or via the web at:
  http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kbaltindex.asp .
•  Real-time air quality information in Vernon, Kelowna and other communities in B.C.
  is available at http://www.bcairquality.ca.
•  Visit http://www.interiorhealth.ca, click on the Your Environment tab at the top of the
  page, then Emergency Information → Forest Fire, and under the “During” tab, scroll
  to Your health and living with smoky skies.