Edmonton nearing smoke hours record

The City of Edmonton is on track to break a record when it comes to smoke.

According to Environment Canada, smoke hours are counted when visibility is reduced to 9.7 kilometers or less due to wildfire smoke. The current record was set in 2018, with 229 smoke hours. This year, Edmonton has already recorded 194.

“We can tell you, in the next two days, where the smoke is coming from and what area it’s going to sit in,” said Jalena Bennett, with BlueSky Canada. “Unfortunately it looks like today and tomorrow, the weather is perfect for the winds to be blowing from the west towards you guys, and bringing smoke from so many fires in the interior of B.C.”

Bennett says that much of Alberta is in a position to near or break smoke records. Calgary’s record was also set in 2018, with 450 hours.

Wildfires have burned over 1.7 million hectares in Alberta this year, with fires in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories adding to the hazy skies, cancelled farmers markets, sporting events, and outdoor shows may be the story of the summer.

“Lots of these fires have been burning out of control for months, and may continue to burn for even longer, or there may be new fires that crop up that continue to push smoke your way.”

But it’s not just the damper of lessened outdoor activities Albertans should be concerned about, the ashy skies can have serious health implications.

Last week, a nine-year-old boy in British Columbia died of an asthma attack, made worse by wildfire smoke. Asthma affects approximately 12 per cent of Albertans.

“If the air quality health index is around about four or five, they can go for a walk. But if they start to exert themselves, for example, climbing mountains because you really want to go to the mountains, or running, you’re going to have problems, potentially,” explained Dr. Paige Lacy, professor of medicine at the University of Alberta.

Doctor Lacy says that even if you are not an asthma or other lung disease sufferer, exposure to severe air quality can have long-term, damaging effects.

“Particles actually go all the way in to the small airways, so the very very ins of your air sacs, and then they get absorbed in the bloodstream. And that’s the problem, you see, because there you get particles, very small particles, circulating throughout your whole body,” explained Dr. Lacy.

“They can accumulate in things like your heart, your lungs, your brain, and if you’re pregnant, they can actually accumulate in your unborn child. We really don’t know that much about the long term effects of wildfire smoke exposure, but we do know that there are some people that are definitely getting health impact from it.”