Medicine Hat blanketed by smoke, air advisory issued

A veil of smoke saturated Medicine Hat Wednesday, blocking the sun and giving the impression of a cloudy day.

An air quality advisory was issued by Environment Canada for the whole of the province.

Its air quality health index for Medicine Hat was “four,” indicating a “moderate risk.”

There are very small particles in the smoke that can cause irritation in the lungs, said Lizette Elumir, medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services south zone.

“The biggest worries we have are the ones (particles) that are tiny that can get into the lower end of our lungs. Part of our air quality scale takes that into account,” said Elumir.

Those particles can result in coughing, affected breathing and symptoms related to cardio vascular, she explained.

Anyone experiencing symptoms as a result of the smoke should stay indoors or spend time in an air conditioned environment. If you don’t have that at home you could spend time at a mall or library, said Elumir. People with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, smokers, children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.

By Wednesday afternoon the ER at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital had not seen any increase in volume of patients as a result of the air quality, a spokesperson for AHS said.

If driving in a vehicle, vents and windows should stay closed. Put the air conditioning on and hit the “re-circulate” button to avoid drawing outdoor air.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of concern should contact their physician or Health Link at 811 to speak to a registered nurse.

NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Smoke wrapped Medicine Hat on Wednesday with an Air Quality Health Index of four, issued by Environment Canada. The view of Medicine Hat from McCutcheon Drive, north of the South Saskatchewan River, is seen through a veil of smoke obscuring the coulees beyond Ross Creek and Scholten Hill.