Wildfire smoke prompts air quality advisories for Calgary, western Alberta
Heavy smoke has blown in from B.C. and is expected to persist until Thursday
Special air quality statements were issued for Calgary and parts of western Alberta Wednesday as heavy wildfire smoke blew in from B.C.
The air quality health index was sitting at a 7 — or high risk — in parts of the city at 7 p.m.
When the air quality is above 7, Environment and Climate Change Canada suggests reducing or rescheduling strenuous outdoor activities, especially for children and seniors or those experiencing a cough or irritated throat.
"Wildfire smoke is a constantly-changing mixture of particles and gasses which includes many chemicals that can harm your health," Environment Canada said.
On Wednesday, more than 1,500 properties in British Columbia's Cariboo region were under evacuation order due to seven wildfires burning in the area. More than 300 wildfires are burning across B.C.
Mandeep Dhaliwal, the air quality program manager for the Calgary Region Airshed Zone, said particulate matter is also blowing in from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan and Washington State.
"For … healthy people, it's not a concern yet, but anybody with a respiratory issues or even asthma or pre-existing health conditions or heart conditions, it is going to be challenging for them to breathe," he said.
In Alberta, there are currently 14 out-of-control wildfires, 37 that are being held, and 41 that are under control.
So far this year, 879 fires have burned nearly 20,000 hectares in the province's forest protection areas.
The fire danger rating is currently extreme in the central and northeastern boreal forest, as well as the southern point of the forest protection area.
There are pockets of high fire danger elsewhere in the province, including on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Alberta Transportation warned that one wildfire near the highway north of Janvier, a hamlet in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, was causing poor visibility due to smoke on Wednesday evening.
The poor air quality is expected to persist until Thursday.
An up-to-date list of weather alerts can be found on the government's website.
With files from Rick Donkers and Sarah Rieger