A special air quality statement issued for Edmonton Monday morning has been lifted.
Smoke from wildfires moved into the area, causing poor air quality Monday morning. Environment Canada said air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.
As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, areas under special air quality statements included the Edmonton region, stretching east to the Saskatchewan border, and up the eastern edge of the province to the northern border with the Northwest Territories. Banff National Park was also under a special air quality statement.
Shortly before 5 p.m., the statement was lifted for Edmonton and the capital region, but remained in place for areas of eastern and northeastern Alberta.
“Individuals may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath,” read Environment Canada’s statement. “Children, seniors and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.
“People with lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD, can be particularly sensitive to air pollution. They will generally experience more serious health effects at lower levels. Pollution can aggravate their diseases, leading to increased medication use, doctor and emergency room visits, and hospital visits.”
Beyond those with heart and lung conditions, medical professionals say infants, young children, pregnant women and elderly people are at higher risk when the air quality is poor.
“Infants are at particularly high risk, and then young children. If you think about how quickly they breathe — a baby will take up to 40 breaths per minute. So again, that’s a lot of air for their little body weight and they’re going to cough more easily,” said Dr. Anne Hicks, an assistant professor of pediatric respiratory medicine at the University of Alberta.
She said everyone can be affected, though, and people should reconsider outdoor activity and exercise, particularly when the Air Quality Health Index rises above 4 for those at higher risk, and 7 for the rest of the population.
“One of the important things to consider about air quality is, even if you’re not feeling symptoms immediately, exercising in air quality of 7 or above is considered to be a little bit of an issue because you increase your respiratory rate. So you take in more particles and air pollution per minute when you’re exercising and you place more demands on your body,” Hicks said.
“It’s just bad for you. It’s like playing in the middle of a thunderstorm and risking lightning strike. So I think we should all take that to heart and avoid strenuous exercise or activity.”
As of 9:30 a.m., Edmonton’s Air Quality Health Index was 3, or a low risk. By 2:30 p.m., it had risen to 6 on a scale out of 10 on Monday, which is a moderate risk. It was expected to reach 7 on Monday, which is considered a high risk.
Many other parts of Alberta could also see their Air Quality Health Index reach 7.
More information on how wildfire smoke can affect your health can be found on the government of Canada’s website.
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