Should we better prepare for wildfire season?
Posted Aug 4, 2021 9:16 am.
Last Updated Aug 4, 2021 9:18 am.
CALGARY – With hundreds of wildfires burning on the west coast and through the Prairies, Calgary is seeing much of the aftermath.
A haze is looming over the city and that could have some health impacts on some people.
There are experts who suggest wildfire smoke could be more toxic to you than air pollution.
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Dr. Courtney Howard has been studying the health effects of wildfire smoke and she told CityNews that we need to start better preparing for the wildfire season.
“We need to start thinking about wildfire season the way we think about cold and flu season,” she said.
“So, [doctors] will re-prescribe people’s inhalers ahead of time because they know predictably that somebody’s going to get the sniffles and get asthma exacerbation.”
She explains wildfire smoke is predictable, and by preparing, we’ll save people days of discomfort.
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She’s also warning people who have to be outside in smoky conditions.
“An N95 mask, say you were going out to do something in really smoky conditions for a short amount of time, that would probably be a good idea,” she added.
“But of course, it’s probably better to just avoid the exposure in the first place if you can.”
Health experts recommend not overexerting yourself in smoky conditions and to avoid working out in the outdoors.
The same goes for pets–make sure your dogs aren’t doing anything too strenuous outside either.
While the smoke is expected to stay until the end of the week, a new weather system is expected on Friday or the weekend which should shift the winds and stop so much smoke from blowing into Calgary.
