A dust advisory in the North Okanagan has been expanded to the Central Okanagan.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the dusty conditions are due to traffic stirring up accumulated winter traction materials on area roads, adding dry meteorological conditions have contributed to the accumulation of dust.
The ministry originally issued a dust advisory for Vernon on March 18. On Friday, the ministry announced that it was continuing the advisory for a fifth straight day while also expanding it to Kelowna, stating “high concentrations of coarse particulates are expected to persist until there is a change in current weather conditions or (a) reduction in dust emissions.”
The ministry says the advisories are due to high concentrations of dust, measured as “PM10” – particles with diameter up to 10 millionth of a metre. Currently, the PM10 concentrations are above advisory levels of 50 micrograms per cubic metre.
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For Kelowna, the most recent hourly measurements on Friday were 56 micrograms per cubic metre. The average for the past 24 hours was 53 micrograms per cubic metre.
For Vernon, the most recent hourly measurements on Friday were 199 micrograms per cubic metre. The average for the past 24 hours was 109 micrograms per cubic metre.
The ministry said people with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted, adding staying indoors and in air-conditioned spaces helps to reduce particulate exposure.
The ministry also said exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
Also Friday morning, Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement, stating people in Vernon and Kelowna should be on the lookout for adverse weather conditions and take necessary safety precautions.
More information on current air quality can be found here.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air
Tips from the provincial government to reduce your personal health risk
- Avoid roads with heavy vehicle traffic.
- Continue to control medical conditions such as asthma, chronic respiratory disease and heart failure. If symptoms continue to be bothersome, seek medical attention.
- Maintaining good overall health is a good way to reduce health risks resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.
Additional tips for persons with chronic underlying medical conditions
- Stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and reduce indoor sources of pollution such as smoking, vacuuming and use of wood stoves.
- Run an air cleaner. Some room air cleaners, such as HEPA filters, can help reduce indoor particulate levels, provided they are the right size for your home and filters are changed regularly.
- Take shelter in air-conditioned buildings that have large indoor volumes and limited entry of outdoor air.
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