WOCN20 CWVR 160106
SPECIAL AIR QUALITY STATEMENT
FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA
UPDATED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA AND THE B.C. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT 
AND CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY
AT 6:06 P.M. PDT THURSDAY 15 AUGUST 2024.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL AIR QUALITY STATEMENT FOR:
      EAST COLUMBIA
      ARROW LAKES - SLOCAN LAKE
      CHILCOTIN
      CARIBOO - NORTH INCLUDING QUESNEL
      PRINCE GEORGE
      STUART - NECHAKO
      BULKLEY VALLEY AND THE LAKES DISTRICT
      B.C. NORTH PEACE RIVER
      WATSON LAKE.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
==DISCUSSION==

SMOKY SKIES BULLETIN - AUGUST 15, 2024 

MULTIPLE REGIONS ACROSS BC ARE BEING IMPACTED OR ARE LIKELY TO BE 
IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE OVER THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS. 

THE HEAVIEST SMOKE IS EXPECTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE OOSTA LAKE 
FIRES (SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKES DISTRICT) AND SOUTH INTO THE 
CHILCOTIN. THE AREA IMPACTED WITHIN THE BULKLEY VALLEY REGION IS 
CONFINED TO THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION (INCLUDING GRANISLE). HAZY 
CONDITIONS WILL BE VISIBLE THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE SOUTHEASTERN 
QUARTER OF THE PROVINCE. 

THE NEXT BULLETIN UPDATE WILL BE AVAILABLE AUGUST 16, 2024. 

THE BULLETIN CAN BE ACCESSED ONLINE AT 

HTTPS://WWW.GOV.BC.CA/AIRQUALITYADVISORIES

THE FINE PARTICLES IN WILDFIRE SMOKE POSE THE MAIN HEALTH RISK. AS 
SMOKE LEVELS INCREASE, HEALTH RISKS INCREASE. 

PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE INCLUDE SENIORS, 
PREGNANT WOMEN AND PREGNANT PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO SMOKE, INFANTS AND 
YOUNG CHILDREN, PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTDOORS, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN 
STRENUOUS OUTDOOR EXERCISE AND PEOPLE WITH AN EXISTING ILLNESS OR 
CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION. THOSE WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED 
SHOULD REDUCE OR RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES OUTDOORS OR SEEK 
MEDICAL ATTENTION IF EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS. 

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND IF YOU EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS, CONSIDER 
REDUCING OR STOPPING STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. SYMPTOMS CAN 
INCLUDE MILDER AND MORE COMMON SYMPTOMS SUCH AS EYE, NOSE AND THROAT 
IRRITATION, AS WELL AS SERIOUS BUT LESS COMMON SYMPTOMS SUCH AS 
CHEST PAINS OR SEVERE COUGH. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL 
EMERGENCY, SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. 

LIMIT TIME OUTDOORS. WHEN INDOORS, KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS CLOSED AS 
MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WHEN THERE IS AN EXTREME HEAT EVENT OCCURRING WITH 
POOR AIR QUALITY, PRIORITIZE KEEPING COOL. ALWAYS SEEK OUT AND 
FOLLOW HEALTH GUIDANCE FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 

PROTECT YOUR INDOOR AIR FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE. ACTIONS CAN INCLUDE 
USING A CLEAN, GOOD QUALITY AIR FILTER IN YOUR VENTILATION SYSTEM 
AND/OR A CERTIFIED PORTABLE AIR PURIFIER THAT CAN FILTER FINE 
PARTICLES. 

WHEN SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS, A WELL-CONSTRUCTED, WELL-FITTING AND 
PROPERLY WORN RESPIRATOR TYPE MASK (SUCH AS A NIOSH-CERTIFIED N95 OR 
EQUIVALENT RESPIRATOR) CAN REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO THE FINE 
PARTICLES IN THE SMOKE. EVEN THOUGH EXPOSURE MAY BE REDUCED, THERE 
CAN STILL BE RISKS TO HEALTH. 

CHECK IN ON OTHERS WHO ARE IN YOUR CARE OR LIVE NEARBY WHO MAY BE 
MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE. 

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. 

LEARN MORE AT HTTPS://WWW.CANADA.CA/WILDFIRE-SMOKE. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CURRENT AIR QUALITY, VISIT 
HTTPS://WWW2.GOV.BC.CA/GOV/CONTENT/ENVIRONMENT/AIR-LAND-WATER/AIR. 

VISIT HTTP://WWW.AIRHEALTH.CA FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO REDUCE YOUR 
HEALTH RISK AND YOUR PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO POLLUTION LEVELS, AS 
WELL AS FOR CURRENT AND FORECAST AQHI VALUES. 

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR ALERTS AND FORECASTS ISSUED BY 
ENVIRONMENT CANADA.

HTTP://WEATHER.GC.CA

END/PSPC