WAITING FOR WARM WEATHER TO GO OUTSIDE? BE CAREFUL, WESTERN, ONTARIO WILDFIRES SMOKE FELT IN MUSKOKA
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — If you’ve seen the haze, tasted smoke or your throat is slightly soar, you’re not alone.
Smoke from Western and Northern Ontario wildfires is already being felt down here in Muskoka again this summer.
It is causing or is expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility into the weekend warns Environment Canada, which issued these local numbers today.
- Huntsville – Baysville, Ont. (044410)
- Town of Parry Sound – Rosseau – Killbear Park, Ont. (044420)
- Port Carling – Port Severn, Ont. (044430)
- Bracebridge – Gravenhurst, Ont. (044440)
The say wildfires are expected over parts of Ontario Thursday with potential for ground level smoke continuing tonight and into Friday for some areas.
As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. EC advises limiting time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.
You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance.
People more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution — including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors — should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.
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, visit http://www.airhealth.ca
And continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
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.
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 cleaner that can filter fine particles.
If you must spend 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.
As well, check in on others who a re in your care or live nearby who may be more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution.
Always follow guidance from local authorities.
Learn more at https://www.canada
What is AQHI?
The Air Quality Health Index or “AQHI” is a scale designed to help you understand what the air quality around you means to your health.
It is a health protection tool that is designed to help you make decisions to protect your health by limiting short-term exposure to air pollution and adjusting your activity levels during increased levels of air pollution. It also provides advice on how you can improve the quality of the air you breathe.
This index pays particular attention to people who are sensitive to air pollution and provides them with advice on how to protect their health during air quality levels associated with low, moderate, high and very high health risks.
The AQHI communicates four primary things;
It measures the air quality in relation to your health on a scale from 1 to 10. The higher the number, the greater the health risk associated with the air quality. When the amount of air pollution is very high, the number will be reported as 10+.
A category that describes the level of health risk associated with the index reading (e.g. Low, Moderate, High, or Very High Health Risk).
Current hourly AQHI readings and maximum forecast values for today, tonight, tomorrow and the next day are available.
The AQHI is designed to give you this information along with some suggestions on how you might adjust your activity levels depending on your individual health risk from air pollution. Follow this guide on how to use the AQHI.
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