Nearly two months into Canada’s wildfire season, it’s shaping up to be another smoky summer.
Along with the fires come property damage, evacuations, and health effects. But a new public alert system from Environment and Climate Change Canada is aiming to mitigate some of the risks associated with poor air quality from wildfires.
At the beginning of June, the ECCC launched a new public alert system for air quality. The alert will be used to notify the public when the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is above 10 for three or more hours during wildfire smoke events. It will be available on Canada’s weather website and app.
“This literally has the potential to save lives,” says Dawn Bowdish, the executive director of the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health and a board member for the Lung Health Foundation. “Giving people the tools to make good decisions about spending time outdoors during poor air quality can only lead to good things.”
The AQHI measures the air quality in relation to your health on a scale of one to 10; the higher the number, the higher the risk.
While there are a number of health risks associated with wildfire smoke, lungs are particularly vulnerable to two pollutants from wildfires, according to Bowdish: fine particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOC).
When breathed in, particulates can lead to a strong inflammatory response. On the other hand, VOCs are more similar to toxic vapors that Bowdish compares to paint fumes. These pollutants are unhealthy for anyone, but are especially dangerous for those with chronic lung diseases like asthma or COPD.
During last year’s wildfire season, Canada had twice as many days with poor air quality compared to 2021, and eleven times as many days with poor air quality compared to 2020, according to the ECCC.
Diane Feldman, a registered respiratory therapist and educator with the Lung Health Foundation, is hopeful that an alert system like this will encourage Canadians to modify their activities when the air quality is poor.
“This will allow people to plan to do their errands or exercise when the air quality is a little better,” says Feldman.
If the AQHI is high, Feldman recommends staying indoors, using a portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter, or wearing an N95 mask. For people with chronic respiratory conditions, it’s also vital to keep medications like inhalers nearby.
How to improve indoor air quality in your cottage
“Some cottages are effectively big houses with air conditioning systems, while others are pretty permeable to the outdoors,” says Bowdish.
To improve indoor air quality, she suggests considering adding high-efficiency windows, air conditioning, and air filters to the cottage. For people looking to purchase or build a new cottage, she also recommends evaluating how well the building will keep out wildfire smoke.
If worst comes to worst, Bowdish says you can always head home to escape the smoke.
“We can expect more chronic lung disease in the future because of particulates from wildfires,” says Bowdish. “This alert is a poignant reminder that nobody is safe until we address some of these structural issues.”
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