Kamloops ‘high risk’ on Air Quality Health Index

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops is under an air quality advisory and officials are urging the public to stay safe.

“Everyone’s wondering, you know, am I susceptible or what symptoms might I experience? And mostly it can cause airway irritation so it can cause some sore throat, some cough and it can also exacerbate pre-existing heart conditions,” said Dr. Carol Fenton, medical health officer for Interior Health.

Fenton added people without air conditioners in their homes should keep windows closed and instead go to a local library or community centre for a break — but many Kamloopsians are unbothered.

“It’s not an issue at all, I don’t think. It’s not bad, it’s not that much smoke, it comes and goes… Yeah, it’s okay,” a man who was sitting on a patio downtown told CFJC Today.

“Maybe yesterday or the day before yesterday it was very smoky or very thick, and yes, I felt difficulty to breathe. But not today, actually. It’s fine,” said another man walking downtown.

One woman visiting her sister from Calgary says there was a noticeable difference in the air as soon as she drove into the Interior.

“Revelstoke wasn’t too bad but then as we came through Salmon Arm and we started to drive into this area you could just see it getting worse and worse.”

Kamloops and its surrounding areas have been marked ‘high risk’ on the Air Quality Health Index and, according to Environment Canada, the smoke might be here all summer.

“The best thing that can happen is that perhaps some days we get a cold front come through that doesn’t have a lot of wind and stirs things up, maybe the day we get thunderstorms and showers it can clean the air a little bit,” explained Doug Lundquist, meteorologist at Environment Canada.

“But then it can set off new fires and new smokes. We’re going to have to take it on a day-by-day basis. I don’t see any improvement until we get a significant rain.”

And just when you thought you could ditch the mask, it turns out it might actually be a good idea to keep it on during these smokey times.

“We don’t have a lot of evidence for mask wearing against smoke. Theoretically, though, it makes sense that if you’ve got a well fitting mask, that has three layers, it’s going to trap those particles as you breathe through it,” said Dr. Fenton.

Until the smoke clears, avoid being outdoors as much as possible, stay hydrated, and find refuge in a place that has good air quality.

Track the air quality here.