An Alberta town has the worst air quality in Canada right now
Smoke from wildfires burning in the Northwest Territories is hugging most of Alberta, with one town having the worst air quality in Canada.
Smoke is causing very poor air quality and reduced visibility in some areas of the province. According to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, which operates AirVisual, a real-time air quality information platform, Alberta is not looking so great.
The town of Cochrane, located approximately 30 minutes northwest of Calgary, ranked as the most polluted city in the country at noon on Tuesday, with an air quality index of 203, which falls into the “very unhealthy” category.
The entire top 10 was littered with Alberta locations, with Calgary coming in eighth place.
IQAir
An air quality warning is blanketing much of Alberta, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) stating that the air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.
Infants and young children, individuals aged 65 and older, pregnant people, those with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors should avoid strenuous outdoor activities and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms, according to the ECCC warning.
During heavy smoke conditions, everyone’s health is at risk regardless of their age or health status. Limit time outdoors. Reschedule or cancel outdoor sports, activities and events.
You can view the latest ECCC watches and warnings online. A smoke forecast and future projections are also available here.