Air quality warning issued for Yk region
Fires south of Great Slave Lake cause poor air quality and reduced visibility
Smoke from fires burning south of Great Slave Lake are causing poor air quality and reduced visibility in Yellowknife, according to a special air quality statement from Environment Canada. The city skyline was barely visible from Pilots' Monument on Saturday evening. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo |
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Monday, August 14, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Smoke from fires south of Great Slave Lake are causing poor air quality and reduced visibility which may pose a health risk in the North Slave region, according to Environment Canada.
The federal agency released a special air quality statement at 11:11 a.m. Sunday morning warning that heavy smoke may cause persons to experience symptoms, such as increased coughing, irritation, headaches or shortness of breath.
"Children, seniors and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk," the statement reads.
It advises individuals to reduce strenuous outdoors activities wherever possible until the air quality improves.
The national weather service has an air-quality index that measures pollution, such as dust or smoke in the air on a scale from one to 10.
Yellowknife's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) was at 10 on Sunday afternoon, which means the air quality is a very poor.
The poor air conditions are expected to last several days, the statement reads.
There are currently no fires burning near the Ingraham Trail, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
