Wildfire Smoke Is Spreading Across Canada & Here's What Happens When You Breathe In Too Much
Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for certain areas of Canada due to smoke from the wildfires in Quebec and northeastern Ontario blowing across some of the provinces.
The government agency warns that the smoky conditions will likely last into the weekend and can be harmful to our health, "even at low concentrations."
In terms of air quality ranking of all the major cities in the world, Toronto is currently in the seventh worst place. According to IQAir, the only "major" cities that have worse air quality than Toronto right now are Tel-Aviv, Baghdad, Lahore, Dubai, Delhi and New York, the latter most of which is also being affected by the Canadian wildfires.
To help reduce your exposure to the fine particles that can be found in wildfire smoke, EC advises that if you need to go outside, you should wear "a well-fitted respirator type mask" like an N95.
"These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health," it warns.
According to The Weather Network, the poor air quality is affecting Ottawa, Montreal and possibly the GTA as well.
"These regions are likely to continue to record some of the worst air quality they've experienced in recent times," says TWN.
To find out more about what kind of effects wildfire smoke can have on your health, Narcity spoke to Dr. Scott Weichenthal, an environmental epidemiologist, associate professor at McGill University, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded researcher, to learn more about what Canadians need to know.
How can people protect themselves against wildfire smoke?
This might seem like an obvious one, but if possible, Dr. Weichenthal advises against going outside.
"It's best to be inside with the windows closed," he explained. "If you have any means of filtering the air, like an indoor air filter with air conditioning, that can also help to lower the particle levels."
He explained that air pollution is a mix of small pieces of matter that are tiny enough to reach portions of our lungs, which is what can cause health problems in the lungs and cardiovascular system.
"If you have to be outside, like for people who work outside, it's probably a good idea to wear a mask like an N95 that's specially designed to filter out the small particles that we tend to worry about," Dr. Weichenthal advised.
Is it safe to go outside for a walk?
While it's fine for most people to still take the dog for a walk or run to the supermarket, Dr. Weichenthal said it's more about the prevalence of exposure.
"So even though it might be a small risk, because we are literally all exposed — most of Canada right now is exposed to wildfire smoke — that small risk can translate into a large public health impact, just because so many people are exposed," he explained.
If you are a part of the "at risk" population (those with lung or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors) Environment Canada advises "reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you are experiencing symptoms."
What are the short-term effects people can experience from wildfire smoke?
For some, it may just be minor irritations like dry eyes or a dry throat, while for others it can be much more serious.
"If you're asthmatic, if you have existing lung disease, you might have difficulty breathing," Dr. Weichenthal said, adding that you might need to reach for your puffer more often.
"We also see increases in acute cardiovascular events — so things like heart attacks — because these particles are known to have impacts on our cardiovascular system," he explained.
What are some of the long-term effects of wildfire smoke?
\u201cThis isn\u2019t a solar eclipse. \ud83d\udd34 The smoke particles from #wildfires throughout Canada allow sunlight's longer wavelength colors like red and orange to get through while blocking the shorter wavelengths of yellow, blue and green.\u201d— Canadian Space Agency (@Canadian Space Agency) 1686056577
While Dr. Weichenthal says it's an area that hasn't been studied much due to how sporadic the events can be, he did note that wildfires release chemicals that are known to be human carcinogens.
"We've done some research showing that people that live closest to wildfires over the long run have an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer," he said.
He added that given the recent uptick in wildfire events, the long-term effects need to be studied further: "Now, because they tend to happen pretty much in the same locations every year, for the people that are in these areas, it really is now a sort of a chronic exposure as opposed to just a kind of one-off thing that happens every once in a while."
What do people need to know about wildfire smoke that they might not be considering?
"I think a lot of times, if people perceive it as being natural, it somehow doesn't seem as dangerous," Dr. Weichenthal shared, which he explained is not the case.
"People for the longest time didn't see any problem with pollution that might have been caused by, say, residential wood burning," he continued.
"But anytime you burn biomass, whether it's tobacco leaf or wood, it's releasing a large number of harmful chemicals that you really want to minimize your exposure to."
He said that's why it's so important to take note of any sort of public health announcement.
"We certainly know more than enough to suggest that you don't want to be exposed to this stuff any more than you have to," Dr. Weichenthal advised.
How long should people be mindful of the wildfire smoke?
\u201c#Wildfire smoke poses a risk to everyone\u2019s health. The Air Quality Health Index helps identify your level of risk: https://t.co/Y5nBKR7EzF\n\n#AQHI #AirQuality #Wildfires\u201d— Environment Canada (@Environment Canada) 1686056515
"In terms of the acute effects, as soon as the smoke is gone — you know, after a day or so — the risks are pretty much back to normal," Dr. Weichenthal shared.
"My general advice would be to just pay attention to the advice that's being provided by public health officials," he said. "The Air Quality Health Index in Canada is a great tool for communicating the health risks of air quality. And so just pay attention to those numbers and, you know, just follow the advice that's provided."
The Air Quality Health Index, which uses a rating system of 1-10, has placed many of Canada's major cities at some level of risk.
Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec City, Regina and Yellowknife are currently in the "moderate risk" area. Montreal and Toronto are in the "high risk" category, while Ottawa is currently in the "very high risk" territory with a 10/10 score.
Ironically, June 7 marks "Clean Air Day" in Canada, which is "a day to recognize how important good air quality is to our health, our environment, and the economy."
Canadian officials note that air pollution is one of the leading environmental causes of death and illness, causing an estimated 15,300 deaths and costing $120 billion per year.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
