WOCN25 CWWG 200913
SPECIAL AIR QUALITY STATEMENT
FOR ALBERTA
ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA, ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTED 
AREAS, ALBERTA HEALTH AND ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES
AT 3:13 A.M. MDT SATURDAY 20 JULY 2024.
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SPECIAL AIR QUALITY STATEMENT FOR:
=NEW= BANFF NATIONAL PARK
=NEW= JASPER NATIONAL PARK.

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==DISCUSSION==

SMOKE IS CAUSING OR EXPECTED TO CAUSE POOR AIR QUALITY AND REDUCED 
VISIBILITY.

WILDFIRE SMOKE IS CAUSING OR EXPECTED TO CAUSE VERY POOR AIR QUALITY 
AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ALONG SECTIONS OF HIGHWAY 93. 

AIR QUALITY AND VISIBILITY DUE TO WILDFIRE SMOKE CAN FLUCTUATE OVER 
SHORT DISTANCES AND CAN VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM HOUR TO HOUR. 

THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND VERY POOR AIR QUALITY IN SMOKE WILL 
INCREASE THE RISK TO YOUR HEALTH.

THE FINE PARTICLES IN WILDFIRE SMOKE POSE THE MAIN HEALTH RISK. AS 
SMOKE LEVELS INCREASE, HEALTH RISKS INCREASE. 

PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE INCLUDE SENIORS, 
PREGNANT WOMEN AND PREGNANT PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO SMOKE, INFANTS AND 
YOUNG CHILDREN, PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTDOORS, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN 
STRENUOUS OUTDOOR EXERCISE AND PEOPLE WITH AN EXISTING ILLNESS OR 
CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION. THOSE WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED 
SHOULD REDUCE OR RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES OUTDOORS OR SEEK 
MEDICAL ATTENTION IF EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS. 

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND IF YOU EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS, CONSIDER 
REDUCING OR STOPPING STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. SYMPTOMS CAN 
INCLUDE MILDER AND MORE COMMON SYMPTOMS SUCH AS EYE, NOSE AND THROAT 
IRRITATION, AS WELL AS SERIOUS BUT LESS COMMON SYMPTOMS SUCH AS 
CHEST PAINS OR SEVERE COUGH. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL 
EMERGENCY, SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. 

LIMIT TIME OUTDOORS. WHEN INDOORS, KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS CLOSED AS 
MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WHEN THERE IS AN EXTREME HEAT EVENT OCCURRING WITH 
POOR AIR QUALITY, PRIORITIZE KEEPING COOL. ALWAYS SEEK OUT AND 
FOLLOW HEALTH GUIDANCE FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 

PROTECT YOUR INDOOR AIR FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE. ACTIONS CAN INCLUDE 
USING A CLEAN, GOOD QUALITY AIR FILTER IN YOUR VENTILATION SYSTEM 
AND/OR A CERTIFIED PORTABLE AIR PURIFIER THAT CAN FILTER FINE 
PARTICLES. 

WHEN SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS, A WELL-CONSTRUCTED, WELL-FITTING AND 
PROPERLY WORN RESPIRATOR TYPE MASK (SUCH AS A NIOSH-CERTIFIED N95 OR 
EQUIVALENT RESPIRATOR) CAN REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO THE FINE 
PARTICLES IN THE SMOKE. EVEN THOUGH EXPOSURE MAY BE REDUCED, THERE 
CAN STILL BE RISKS TO HEALTH. 

CHECK IN ON OTHERS WHO ARE IN YOUR CARE OR LIVE NEARBY WHO MAY BE 
MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE. 

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. 

LEARN MORE AT HTTPS://WWW.CANADA.CA/WILDFIRE-SMOKE. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES AT 
HTTPS://WWW.ALBERTAHEALTHSERVICES.CA/NEWS/AIR.ASPX. 

VISIT HTTP://WWW.AIRHEALTH.CA FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO REDUCE YOUR 
HEALTH RISK AND YOUR PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO POLLUTION LEVELS, AS 
WELL AS FOR CURRENT AND FORECAST AQHI VALUES. 

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR ALERTS AND FORECASTS ISSUED BY 
ENVIRONMENT CANADA.

HTTP://WEATHER.GC.CA

END/PASPC