Wildfire smoke darkens skies over Calgary
Smoke from B.C. forest fires expected to linger until Friday afternoon
Wildfire smoke lingering over Calgary is giving the city a strangely dusky appearance.
"It's a dark day out there right now," said meteorologist Dan Kulak, adding a heavy cloud deck with incoming rain could be making it seem more like evening than morning.
My backyard lights think it’s dusk at 10am <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yycsmoke?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yycsmoke</a> <a href="https://t.co/nWkCAkFuUo">pic.twitter.com/nWkCAkFuUo</a>
—@EmilyDenooijIt is so smokey the street lights have turned on in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Calgary?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Calgary</a> at 930 am <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCCalgary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBCCalgary</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wildfires?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wildfires</a> <a href="https://t.co/H86ifO7uci">pic.twitter.com/H86ifO7uci</a>
—@MerlinYYCThe Air Quality Health Index for Calgary was calculated as a 7 — high risk — at 8 a.m. on Friday.
By late afternoon, it had dropped to a 4, or moderate risk.
Environment Canada's special air quality statement for said thick smoke is still drifting across large swaths of southern Alberta and the mountain parks from B.C.
Winds from the north were expected to help dissipate the smoke overnight, but high smoke levels were expected to remain in the Waterton area — which is under evacuation alert — into the weekend.
- Forest fires can impact the water as well as the air
- Wildfire smoke is likely clogging up your car's cabin air filter
Environment Canada advises people with breathing difficulties to stay indoors.
"Children and the elderly should also take it easy," the alert says.
"Individuals may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk."
The City of Calgary says many of its outdoor summer programs have been cancelled or moved indoors because of the poor air quality.
The forecast Friday for Calgary calls a high of only 14 C and periods of rain.
Kulak says the city won't get enough rain to really combat the smoke — roughly five to 10 millimetres — but the northern wind bringing in clean air should do the job.
"Today is going to be your day," he said about people who are waiting for the smoke to clear.
There are 564 wildfires burning across B.C., including 56 classified as significant because of their size or proximity to communities or structures, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
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