23 Aug 2018 | 12:58 PM UTC
US-Canada: Poor air quality in the west due to fires /update 1
Poor air quality in northwestern US states and western Canadian provinces as of August 23 due to ongoing wildfires
Event
Air quality alerts issued by the US National Weather Service (NWS) and the Canadian government remain in effect in the west of the two countries as of Thursday, August 23. The poor air quality and low visibility is being caused by ongoing forest fires. The following states and provinces are concerned: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan (Canada) and Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (US).
Context
These alerts indicate unhealthy levels of pollutants or particulate matter in the air that can cause health problems, from runny noses and watery eyes to bronchitis, and aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases.
Advice
Individuals in the affected areas, particularly children and those with respiratory illnesses, are advised to limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities and monitor respiratory symptoms, including watery eyes, chest pain, coughing, headache, and irregular heartbeats.
