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N.B., Meadow Lake under air quality alert due to smoke from wildfires

Aug 15, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality alert Wednesday for the North Battleford area, and across Saskatchewan including Meadow Lake, due to smoke moving into the air.

The smoke in the atmosphere is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility. 

Environment Canada stated a “westerly flow in the upper levels of the atmosphere” has again spread smoke from forest fires over western Canada and across Saskatchewan.

It reported the poor air quality and reduced visibility will be widespread across the advisory area while the smoke remains in the area.

Environment Canada added people should notice “considerable improvement” to the air quality over central Saskatchewan Thursday, however farther south hazy conditions were expected to continue to be a concern at times for several more days. Smoke in the atmosphere was forecast to continue Thursday for both the North Battleford and Meadow Lake areas.

The report stated individuals may experience increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath caused by the poor air quality.

“Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk,” Environment Canada reported.

It stated people with lung diseases, such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), may be especially sensitive to air pollution and may experience more serious health effects even at lower levels. Individuals affected may find pollution can aggravate their conditions. As a result more people may need to rely on increased medication use, or seek medical assistance if their conditions gets worse.

People can visit airhealth.ca for information to help reduce their health risks as well as to monitor the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) levels forecast.

 

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW