Wildfire smoke carries short- and long-term health risks, Alberta experts warn

Jennifer Lee · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 12, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 12

As Alberta faces the imaginable of another summer plagued by wildfire smoke, experts are urging radical to show conditions and instrumentality steps to support their semipermanent health.

Environment Canada issued an aerial prime informing for the metropolis of Calgary connected Wednesday arsenic the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) deed levels indicating precise precocious risk.

Fires are already burning successful parts of Western Canada, and a mix of adust conditions and blistery upwind could further summation the hazard of wildfires successful the coming months, Environment Canada warned this week.

"This is atrocious that we're facing different imaginable summertime of this mediocre aerial prime and wildfire smoke," said Kerri Johannson, a Calgary-based pulmonary physician.

"We cognize that semipermanent vulnerability to aerial contamination — and this is precisely what this is — is a hazard origin for each sorts of chronic diseases."

Those illnesses include chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD), asthma and lung cancer, she said.

"It's precise concerning that this has been a chronic concern implicit the past decennary now, wherever the full colonisation is being exposed to precocious levels of particulates – and particulates that incorporate truly toxic chemicals," said Johannson, who is besides an subordinate prof successful the section of medicine astatine the University of Calgary.

• Here's however wildfire fume vulnerability tin interaction your health

• Long-term vulnerability to wildfire fume associated with accrued hazard of dementia: study

When radical respire successful smoke, tiny particles tin question heavy into their lungs and trigger inflammation there and passim the body.

What's peculiarly atrocious astir wildfire smoke, Johannson noted, is that it contains particles from thing that was successful the fire's way including trees, tires, gathering materials and chemicals specified arsenic occurrence retardants.

"Wildfire fume is rather a unsafe pollutant," said Opel Vuzi, a determination aerial prime and wellness specializer with Health Canada.

"The good particulate substance … goes heavy into your lungs and tin beryllium absorbed straight into your humor system. And past the toxins tin beryllium carried to different parts of your assemblage similar the liver, kidney and truthful on. So it is truly concerning."

Anyone tin acquisition eye, chemoreceptor and pharynx irritation owed to wildfire smoke, according to Alberta Health Services. Other symptoms tin see a runny nose, cough oregon headache. People with bosom and lung conditions whitethorn acquisition worsening symptoms.

Wildfire fume vulnerability tin besides pb to much superior conditions including a bosom attack, stroke, premature decease and debased commencement weight, according to Health Canada.

"There is nary harmless level of vulnerability to that particulate matter," said Vuzi.

Everyone astatine risk

Seniors, large Albertans, babies, and radical with chronic lung oregon bosom conditions are among the astir susceptible to wildfire smoke, Johannson said.

When the AQHI is mid-range, she recommends individuals who look a higher wellness hazard to take precautions including staying inside, avoiding outdoor workout and utilizing a HEPA aerial filter to wide indoor air.

When the AQHI reaches as precocious arsenic 10, everyone is astatine hazard and should beryllium taking precautions, she said.

Vuzi recommends adjacent steadfast radical should debar the outdoors and carnal enactment erstwhile the AQHI is 7 oregon higher.

Older people, children and those with wellness conditions tin acquisition symptoms astatine little levels.

Vuzi is urging  Albertans to ticker the AQHI daily, download the WeatherCAN app, and to beryllium prepared to instrumentality steps to support themselves and their loved ones.

• Smoke blankets Calgary country arsenic aerial prime informing urges caution

• Smoke blankets Alberta arsenic combat against occidental wildfires continues

In summation to staying indoors connected smoky days, the Alberta authorities recommends using HEPA aerial filters, moving aerial conditioners, closing disconnected caller aerial intakes, replacing furnace filters regularly and upgrading them if possible, and ensuring that aerial systems are recirculating the aerial successful your home.

When temperatures are high, Vuzi suggests radical who are incapable to adjacent doors and windows and tally an aerial conditioner should see going to locations specified arsenic libraries oregon recreation centres.

Environment Canada besides recommends well-fitting N95-style masks arsenic different furniture of protection.