Poor air quality covers parts of Alberta due to B.C. wildfires
Expect poor air quality throughout portions of Alberta as smoke pushes into the province
Smoke from wildfires in British Columbia will reduce air quality across portions of Alberta through Thursday night.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued air quality warnings for a large swath of the Alberta foothills on Thursday afternoon, including the Calgary and Red Deer areas.
RELATED: AQI, AQHI, and your health: Understanding air quality ratings
Westerly winds blowing over wildfires in southern B.C. pushed smoke across Alberta through the day Thursday. Downsloping winds helped draw this smoke down to the surface, significantly reducing air quality for many communities.
Calgary, Red Deer, and Airdrie saw Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) values peak at 8, or a moderate risk, during the worst of the smoke on Thursday.
Air quality will generally improve though remain variable across Alberta heading into Friday, with pockets of low-level smoke still drifting through the region.
“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can change rapidly over short distances and from hour to hour,” ECCC said in its warning for the region.
Folks living with chronic health conditions, especially asthma and COPD, should limit time outdoors during periods of decreased air quality. Wearing a tight-fitting mask outdoors can reduce smoke exposure.