Kamloops residents reminded to monitor air quality health index as smoke persists

KAMLOOPS — A smoky skies bulletin issued by Environment Canada this week remains in effect (as of Sept. 13) for the Kamloops region.

The thick haze is partly the result of nearby fire activity, including a wildfire near Hope.

Smoke is a yearly occurence for southern B.C., and while residents may grow used to the messaging around air quality, Interior Health says it’s important to keep taking precautions.

The Air Quality Health Index rates current conditions at ‘moderate’. Interior Health Medical Health Officer Dr. Shobhit Maruti says the smoke can impact everyone; how much depends on which group your current health would fall into.

“The first two (groups) are the extremes of ages — which is the very young or the elderly. The third group that you would be concerned about is anyone who has a medical condition, especially a heart or lung condition,” Dr. Maruti explains. “The fourth group is the general public. If you’re healthy or just generally well. And the fifth group I have a soft spot for is anyone who is a pet owner. Your pets can also be impacted.”

Common symptoms to watch out for include a scratchy throat, a mild cough, itchy or burning eyes, or feeling fatigued. Dr. Maruti stresses that symptoms may not be immediate.

“The interesting thing about poor air quality is that it can be very gradual and it can seem quite mild and one might not even know that they’re being impacted by poor air quality,” he explains, “and so you always want to be careful about that.”

Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau says with minimal wind, the smoke has lingered in the Thompson Valley.

“We don’t expect to see too much change today. Maybe a little bit of slight improvement tomorrow (Wednesday), but really today and tomorrow we’re sort of (stuck) with that smoke.”

A shift in the forecast is expected to bring showers and a risk of thunderstorms to the Kamloops area, which Charbonneau says could improve the air quality.

“What we’ll see with rain is often that it will help clear some of the smoke out of the atmosphere. And as well, when we have rain we often have some stronger winds mixing in, which can help improve air quality.”

In the meantime, residents are encouraged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and to check the Air Quality Health Index before heading out.