PREPARE FOR UNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY: TIPS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR PETS SAFE

Photo by nolansadventures  via IG

We are seeing warmer and drier weather across British Columbia earlier than usual. Hot weather is a significant reason why we are seeing wildfires and extreme fire danger ratings across the province. ​

After breaking National high temperature records 3 days in a row, the town of Lytton was devastated by a wildfire. British Columbia is seeing other large fires and poor air quality as a result of the dry conditions. Overall, North America is experiencing large fires across the West and no significant rain in the forecast. ​

Photo by Jack Zimmerman via Global B.C

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​People at higher risk:

Individuals respond differently to smoke exposure; listen to your body and reduce smoke exposure if it is impacting you. The hazards from wildfire smoke vary for individuals depending on how often a person is exposed, the concentration of the particulate and the activity level during exposure. 
 
Both older adults and older pets are more likely to be affected by smoke exposure. Children, also have a higher risk because kids breathe in more air per pound of body weight than adults do. Animals with shorter noses, like Boston Terriers and Pugs, have a higher risk of respiratory issues. 

Those at greater risk from the effects of unhealthy air quality are: ​

• ​Infants and small children
• elderly
• people with pre-existing lung or heart conditions
• people engaged in strenuous outdoor work or activities
• pregnant women
• pets

How does poor air quality affect health?

Wildfires can produce dense smoke that contain small particles that can penetrate into our lungs and bloodstream. These small particles are not visible to the human eye. 
 
Milder and more common symptoms of smoke exposure include:

• Burning eyes
• Runny nose and sinus irritation
• Scratchy throat and mild coughing 
• Headache

Smoke exposure has the potential to make it harder to breathe and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, COPD and heart disease. 
If you experience any of these severe symptoms, talk to a health professional or seek urgent medical condition.

Signs that your pet might be having difficulty from smoke exposure:

• Unusual or excessive coughing, sneezing or vomiting 
• Runny nose
• Difficulty breathing or increased breathing rate
• Open mouthed breathing, especially in cats
• Eye irritation and excessive watery eyes
• Disorientation or stumbling
• Reduced appetite or thirst
• Fatigue or weakness

Tips to keep you and your pets safe when air quality is poor:

1. Close your windows. Keep the smoke out of, and keep pets indoors as much as possible.  
2. Keep indoor air clean. Use a HEPA air purifier to filter the air in your home, use fans to circulate air or run an air conditioning unit with the fresh-air intake closed. Replace filters as needed to keep the air clean. 
3. Stay indoors. Public spaces like community centres, libraries, shopping malls and movie theatres  tend to have cleaner and cooler indoor air.
4. Don’t exert yourself. Avoid intense and prolonged outdoor exercise, for both you and your pets. Exercise when dust and smoke has settled.
5. Limit time outdoors. Keep outdoor bathroom breaks and walks short for pets. 
6. Use a N95 mask to block fine particles, especially if you are working outside. 
7. Check local air quality reports. Listen for local updates from verified sources such as a news station or a government site like  Environment Canada or the National Weather Service. Check their twitter accounts for updates. Click on these links to find the Air Quality Health Index in your region within Canada or the USA. 

At the time that this article was released, there were 309 active fires across British Columbia, 26 of those are *wildfires of note, and nearly 70% are suspected to be caused by lightning. 
B.C. Wildfire Dashboard

*Wildfires of note are wildfires which are highly visible or which pose a potential threat to public safety.