Although the haze Winnipeggers are seeing from Alberta wildfires Tuesday morning is expected to lighten up throughout the day, Environment Canada says the city isn’t free from smoky conditions quite yet.
Much of the province west of the city, including Brandon, is under a special air quality statement.
Meteorologist Brian Luzny told 680 CJOB’s The Start that ground-level smoke in Winnipeg mostly dissipated after a couple of hours Tuesday, so while it remains hazy, there’s no need to issue a statement for the city.
“If it’s expected for two hours or less and it’s not significantly causing a hazard to our health (we don’t issue an advisory),” he said.
“If it were expected to stick around longer, or if the smoke were to be as bad as it is in, say, northern Alberta, even for a short time, then we would definitely issue a special air quality statement.”
The haze is expected to continue into Wednesday and has the potential to get worse in Winnipeg.
“There is a stronger cold front coming through Saskatchewan tonight and into tomorrow,” Luzny said.
“So there’s a chance that tomorrow afternoon, a large area in western Manitoba and possibly reaching Winnipeg could see smoky conditions again where you could actually smell it.”
The Manitoba Lung Association said Monday that people with respiratory conditions or compromised immune systems should take extra precautions while the smoke lingers.
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