Air-quality advisory longest on record
Reports of medical problems surging
A massive surge in visits to doctors and in prescriptions to treat lung ailments has been linked to the “terrible air quality ” caused by wildfires as the weeklong air-quality advisory for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley continues, making it the longest continuous advisory on record.
In some areas of the province, such as the north shore of Vancouver, authorities expect a whopping increase in physician visits.
Computer modelling shows a 120 per cent increase in daily physician visits and an 80 per cent rise in the number of asthma prescription medications dispensed at pharmacies, according to Sarah Henderson, an environmental health scientist at of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Henderson said the data is tabulated daily in the B.C. Asthma Prediction System (BCAPS), which was launched after previous severe wildfire seasons.
The surveillance system tracks health effects associated with forest fire smoke, using data on asthma-related physician visits and the number of prescriptions filled for lung conditions.
It is used to inform public health officials about the predicted effects of wildfire smoke and is not yet shared with the public.
The number of hospital admissions due to the smoke is not available because such information is not collected in real time, Henderson said.
The BCCDC warns that the smoke is filled with fine particles that irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs.
As the body mounts an immune response to the particles, inflammation results, exacerbating lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and asthma. The smoke can also compromise the health of babies, including those in utero, children, the elderly and anyone with already compromised health.
“We are experiencing terrible air quality. Asthma is like the canary in the coal mine,” Henderson said, adding that while an increase in heart attacks and strokes are possible serious effects, more common effects from inhaling smoky air include pneumonia, bronchitis, inner ear infections, headaches, and feeling faint. “It really sucks the drive out of us, which is why we might feel so sluggish.”
Health experts say this year’s B.C. wildfire season could eclipse last year as the worst ever.
Francis Ries, a senior environmental engineer in the air quality and climate change division of Metro Vancouver, said that the current advisory has been in effect for a week, which means a new benchmark has been set. Last summer, advisories were in effect for 19 days in total, but they weren’t consecutive days.
The current haze is related to nearly 600 fires burning in B.C., especially a few dozen around Prince George that are producing “apocalyptic” images and effects, Ries said. Rain that is currently forecast for later this week should help displace the dirty air and improve air quality.
Up-to-the-minute air quality data can be viewed on the airmap.ca website.
Dr. Menn Biagtan, of the B.C. Lung Association, said the public should monitor the situation and stay indoors as much as possible with windows and doors closed while the air-quality advisory is in effect.
Biagtan said B.C. residents can take refuge in cooled public spaces with better (filtered) air like shopping malls, community centres, and libraries.
At home, individuals with lung conditions should use HEPA air cleaners that are matched to room sizes. She also advises those with health problems to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke and cooking that produces smoke.
The poor air quality has created significant challenges for outdoor activities.
On Monday, the Whitecaps FC youth soccer camps in the Lower Mainland and Kelowna were cancelled, affecting more than 500 participants, while the Abbotsford Soccer Association announced fields would be closed. A Douglas College basketball game against the University of California Santa Barbara scheduled for Wednesday was also cancelled, all due to health and safety concerns.
Both UBC and the YMCA of Greater Vancouver, which operate camps and outdoor activities, have recently taken measures to shift outdoor activities indoors wherever possible, and offer less strenuous activities for camp participants.
Over the weekend, Kelowna International Airport had about 30 flights cancelled due to “unprecedented” low visibility; more than 1,000 travellers were affected.
“We’ve never had that happen here before, even with the year before,” said airport operations manager Sean Parker.
In Quesnel, the mayor said the gradual return of blue skies doesn’t mean things are back to normal.
“People will stick their noses out and see the sun for the first time in a long time and think it’s fine to go out and do their normal exercise,” Mayor Bob Simpson said.
“(But) the particulate matter is still high, so there’s still an outside activity warning for people.”
Simpson said while much of the city’s recent planning has focused on the expansion of space for outdoor activities, there’s a need to look at alternatives because perennial wildfires would appear to be the “new normal.”