Mumbai and LA have MUCH better air quality than Edmonton right now
It’s a smoky day in Edmonton, and the air quality in the city has dipped to levels so low that spots like Mumbai and LA look like they have crisp, clean mountain air.
According to IQAir’s World Air Quality Index, Mumbai, India, has an air quality index of 50, while Los Angeles has an index of 50 too, as of Thursday morning.
Compare that to Edmonton and the surrounding area, with wildfire smoke raising the air quality index to an unhealthy 267 in the central east portion of the city, and the index above 150 across most of the area, averaging at about 175.
IQAir
Nearby towns and cities were even higher on average, with Spruce Grove as a whole sitting at 202, Stony Plain at 222, and Leduc at 196.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a special air quality statement for much of the province, including Edmonton, saying that smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility.
“Wildfire smoke is a constantly-changing mixture of particles and gasses which includes many chemicals that can harm your health,” says ECCC.
The agency adds that if you or anyone in your care are exposed to wildfire smoke, you should consider taking extra precautions to reduce exposure.
People with lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD, are at greater health risk from air pollution exposure.