Fires and a controlled burn shut down Highway 3 on July 18, stranding hundreds of people in Fort Providence and Edzo. The highway was closed for 15 hours as crews fought the flames. Only a few cars and trucks were allowed through during that time. Several people opted to camp on the highway, with a few setting up tents along the shoulder and in the grass next to the road. The highway re-opened July 19 at 5 a.m., only to shut down again later in the day. - photo courtesy of Tom McKinley |
No smoke relief in sight for Yellowknife
Air quality index exceeds safe levels, meteorologist sees no sustained rain in forecast
Simon Whitehouse
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 23, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The air quality in the Yellowknife area remains in a constant flux while the city is surrounded by forest fire in a season that has not been experienced in 30 years, according to government officials.
Early Tuesday, the Environment Canada Air Health Quality Index showed levels of air quality exceeding the one-to-10 scale, meaning it's a "very high risk" for people to breathe the air, especially people with respiratory problems, children and the elderly. By Tuesday afternoon, that number dropped to a four, which is considered a "moderate risk."
The index typically focuses on three types of pollutants in the air - ozone, o2 and particulate matter that is about two microns in size, said Brian Proctor, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada in Edmonton. The index tries to communicate to the public what the dangers are of prolonged exposure to the air, especially people with lung conditions and breathing problems.
Environment Canada, in partnership with the GNWT Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Health and Social Services, monitors and updates data on the air quality with an automated system every hour from an undisclosed location in the city. Ideally the information is to help citizens make informed decisions about their health, said Proctor.
"In Northern regions, as well as Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and interior B.C. (risky air) is often covered by woodsmoke associated with forest fires. That is what (Yellowknifers) are seeing with that really, really active forest fire season you've got. It is probably the worst in 30 years," Proctor said.
Because Yellowknife is surrounded by forest fires and has experienced a rare drought since May, wind can come from any direction to bring large plumes of smoke into the city.
Though some rain showers are in the forecast for the end of the week, Proctor speculated it wouldn't make much difference. Instead it is more likely lightning strikes will occur and worsen the drought and forest fire situation, he said.
"We are in the third week of July, which is the typical peak of the forest fire season where we have the strongest amount of daytime heating and thunderstorms are fairly active still. So this is just a bad time of the year to be experiencing this and it doesn't look like it is going to get any better in the short term," Proctor said.
What is needed, he said, is a "gentle but pronounced and extended period of rain" in the lower part of the NWT and northern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Again, that is not happening anytime soon, he said.
"That is not looking at anything on the agenda for the future at all," he said.
Meanwhile, crews from the Department of Transportation have kept busy closing and reopening Highway 3 between Behchoko and Fort Providence.
It's been happening on an almost daily basis.
"We've been busy, no doubt about it," said Michael Conway, the department's regional superintendent for the North Slave region.
"We have to close the highway if the fire gets too close or if the visibility is too poor. So there a couple of factors in play here," he said.
"We've brought some personnel in from elsewhere in the territory to help."
"For the most part, drivers have been pretty good about the closures and the delays. People from the North understand and are patient.
"Some others have been less understanding but we've had no serious problems with irate drivers," Conway said.
"The trucking companies seem to understand that safety must come first for them.
"Time is money, but they don't get upset because they know the road has to be safe before they can proceed."
- with files from John McFadden
