low air quality: things you can do to mitigate smoke inhalation

by: gordon mcintyrejunuary, we hardly knew you.there has been no measurable rain recorded in metro vancouver since june 15, and none is forecast into the middle of next week.“we are drier than normal for both vancouver and abbotsford,” said lisa erven, a meteorologist with environment canada. “each received only 50 to 60 per cent of normal june precipitation.”while the interior has several air-quality warnings in effect, there are no current alerts for vancouver. but be warned, smoky summers are the new normal, according to michael brauer, a professor in ubc’s school of population and public health.“probably longer-term, it’s going to get worse,” he said. “where we are, we’re going to get it one way or the other (with wildfire smoke).“we’re saved a little bit because we’re on the coast, but, yeah, get used to it.”the b.c. centre for disease control has fact sheets on its website with information on wildfire smoke and its health impact, including how to prepare for wildfire season.wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of fine particulate matter, gases including carbon monoxide, and organic compounds. it causes episodes of the worst air quality most people will ever experience in b.c., according to the cdc.some simple guidelines to limit smoky air making it into your lungs include buying a portable air cleaner that uses hepa filtration, heading to a public space such as a library or shopping mall, and keep your windows up and ac on while driving.also, the b.c. centre for disease control has diy instructions for a homemade box-fan air filter.“we have really good air quality throughout most of british columbia,” said sarah henderson, senior environmental health scientist at the centre and a public-health professor at ubc. “when it gets smoky, it’s challenging for us because we’re not used to that sort of thing.“everybody has to breathe, but it really affects different people in different ways.”the people most vulnerable to wildfire smoke are those with asthma or other respiratory conditions, young children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with heart disease, and those with diabetes.but the centre for disease control warns healthy people can be affected by wildfire smoke as well, and to monitor your body and reduce exposure if smoke begins affecting you.many of the symptoms caused by fine particulate matter travelling into your lungs are mild and manageable without medical treatment — sore throat, irritated eyes, runny nose, mild cough, wheezing, headaches.but if you experience more severe symptoms — shortness of breath, severe cough, dizziness, chest pain, heart palpitations — you should seek prompt medical attention.

the longest metro vancouver has gone without measurable precipitation was 58 days in 1951, from june 14 to aug. 10. as of wednesday, the current streak was at 36 days and counting.“for the next week, week and a half, even two weeks, the weather pattern does not seem to be showing any major precipitation systems coming through,” said bobby sekhon, a meteorologist with environment canada.with the pacific onshore flow that is giving us our current weather, you can get some clouds or weak disturbances coming through that can create a chance showers, sekhon said, so it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility.“but we’re not expecting any high chance of measurable rain for the next week or 10 days. right now, we are in the climatological driest time of the year for this part of the world. it’s not uncommon to see dry periods in late july and early august.“what’s exceptional about this one is it started in mid-june.”gordmcintyre@postmedia.comtwitter.com/gordmcintyre