Posted on: October 17, 2022
A smoky skies bulletin and air quality advisories have been issued for Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands due to wildfire smoke.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says all of Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands will be impacted over the next 24 to 48 hours, if they aren’t already, by wildfire smoke.
An air quality advisory has also been issued for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley due to the smoke, which is the result of wildfires burning southeast of Chilliwack, near Hope and in Washington state.
The bulletin and air quality advisory covers all of Greater Victoria; Sooke to Port Renfrew; Duncan to Ladysmith and Shawnigan Lake; Nanaimo, including Cedar, South Wellington and Cassidy; Nanoose Bay to Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Coombs; and Lake Cowichan to Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet and Nahmint.
Potential impacts for Island Health include:
Potential to affect diverse client populations
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- Potential for clients and patients with respiratory conditions or concerns to experience increasing difficulties due to the air quality
- Potential for increased pressure on emergency departments due to increased air quality and impact on patients with respiratory issues
- Potential difficulties for under-housed clients within outreach and community care due to a decrease in air quality.
- Potential difficulties for vulnerable people that have chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outside
- Potential risk for staff/volunteers/patients/residents to experience breathing difficulties.
- Watch for effects of poor air quality: shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, eye irritation, headache, nausea.
Recommended actions:
- Staff/volunteers, clients and patients should stay inside if they have breathing difficulties. Find an indoor place that's cool and ventilated. Using an air conditioner that cools and filters air may help.
- Reminder that open windows may let in more polluted air. If clients/patients home isn't air-conditioned, consider going to a public place (library, shopping mall, recreation centre) that is air-conditioned
- Monitor weather forecasts and warnings closely for updates e.g.
- Monitor HealthLinkBC online for resources at www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/heat-related-illness
- Information on Air Health
More information on the bulletin can be found here.