The air quality health index for Greater Victoria and West Shore reached a rating of 10+ yesterday.
The index runs from 1 to 10, or low risk to high risk. A 10 + means we are at a very high risk of being exposed to harmful pollutants in our air.
Ben Weinstein, an Air Quality Meteorologist says the scale has been modified since last year. "I remember last year seeing news stories where it said things like the air quality health index is at 43 on a scale of 1 to 10. This year it's been capped at 10, and the reason is the health messaging doesn't change after 10. The health messaging was developed by the BC Centre for Disease Control and other health agencies, and even though it's important to look at the number, it's more important to look at the messaging that comes with each number."
The messaging has advice for those at risk, as well as the general population. It warns those at risk, including the elderly, young children, and people with pre-existing conditions to limit their time outdoors and avoid strenuous and physical activities. For the general population, strenuous activities should be reduced or rescheduled, especially if you experience coughing and throat irritation, which are just a few of the symptoms.
He says that everyone is affected differently by wildfire smoke, and even if you don't feel anything right away it could still cause long term health effects. Weinstein says "A lot of the effects of particulate matter exposure are chronic effects that may not realize now, but may come to haunt you later on. The medical evidence is that it can shorten your life."
Particulate matter, a pollutant in wildfire smoke, is the main substance that causes health problems, and it also causes the haze we have been seeing. Weinstein says particulate matter is the main pollutant that they are monitoring, which are small solids or liquids that become suspended in the air due to incomplete combustion. They are very small (some are less than a micro meter), and they scatter the light, causing the haze.
But thankfully, the smoke won't be hanging around for much longer. The smoke and haze was pushed and funnelled down to the southern Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland due to a high pressure ridge, which gave a lot of the rest of the province a break from the smoke. That system is about to pass, and Weinstein says that by Thursday our skies in Victoria should be clearing up. Unfortunately, just because it's not in our sky doesn't mean it's gone for good, instead it will be moving east to the interior and toward Alberta. However, he says that a bit of rain is in the upcoming forecast, bringing with it some much needed relief.
In the meantime, Weinstein advises reducing your exposure during these hazy smokey days. He says if you have a central heating system or a HEPA filter, to use it to filter the air and reduce your exposure.
West Shore continues to have a rating of very high at 10+, while Greater Victoria has dropped to a high level of 9.