Air quality statement issued for Calgary Sunday morning as soccer games cancelled

File photo of smoke over Calgary on Oct. 5, 2022. Environment Canada issued an air quality statement for the city Sunday morning

A special air quality statement was issued for Calgary Sunday morning.

At 9:54 a.m., Environment Canada issued the statement, advising that wildfire smoke from northeastern B.C. is causing a widespread area of very poor air quality and reduced visibility.

It said smoke will move eastward through the evening, predicting that conditions should improve by Monday night for most of the province.

There’s 30 per cent chance of showers Sunday afternoon, with a risk of a late afternoon thunderstorm.

The air quality health index for Calgary was 6 at 9 a.m. but predicted to rise beyond 10 throughout the day, which is considered very high risk.

The Calgary Minor Soccer Association posted on its Facebook page that games with a start time before and up to 2 p.m. are cancelled, due to the air qualtiy index rating, although it added that games scheduled at the Calgary West Soccer Centre or Macron will go ahead as scheduled.