Smoke from B.C. wildfires prompts air warnings, uncertainty in Alberta

CTV National News: Major drop in air quality Hundreds of intense wildfires have made air quality in parts of B.C. among the worst in the world. Sarah MacDonald reports.

Drifting smoke from the British Columbia wildfires has brought a number of high-profile events in neighbouring Alberta into question, with several prepared to cancel as the air pollution levels rise.

In Calgary, where the Environment Canada Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is at a 10+ pollution rating, the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer on Saturday was cancelled shortly after it began.

More than 1,600 cyclists started the race Saturday morning on a route that would have taken them to a halfway point in Sundre, Alta., before looping back to Calgary on Sunday.

Only hours after the ride began, organizers told cyclists to stop riding, citing the declining air quality.

Shortly afterwards, they cancelled the ride entirely.

All riders were told to return to the starting line, with buses and trucks running to transport riders and gear. Cyclists who attempted to ride back were turned away by RCMP officers.

In Edmonton, similar outdoor events carried on unaffected by the smoke. Though the province’s capital started off the day with a 10+ AQHI rating, by midday it had fallen to a safer 5.

The Edmonton Eskimos announced at noon that their 7 p.m. game against the Montreal Alouettes would not be cancelled.

“We have consulted weather experts who advise us the air quality will be at acceptable levels by kick-off,” the team said in a press release.

The Servus Edmonton Marathon is also scheduled to proceed as planned on Sunday morning, though organizers says participants may chose a shorter distance when registering at no charge.

The smoky conditions haven’t stopped some dedicated runners from getting in last-minute training for the marathon.

“Sometimes (it) can be a trouble if you're running outside,” Oliver Masabarakiza told CTV Edmonton. “It can be a little bit irritating.”

The marathon’s ABC Kids Activities and 1-kilometre run/walk was rescheduled for Sunday, when the main event will be taking place.

The Edmonton Airshow will also carry on unaffected, with officials tweeting that they’re seeing blue skies north of the city.

The special air quality statements have been in place since Tuesday, as smoke from the hundreds of blazes raging across British Columbia drifts eastward.

The drifting smoke is so prominent that NASA says it is visible to satellites 1.5 million kilometres from earth.

And the air pollution is even more evident in Vancouver.

For the third summer in a row, smoke hangs over Metro Vancouver, pushing AQHI ratings to the top of the chart.

The air quality alerts are expected to stay in place for several days, prompting officials to tell people not to overexert themselves outdoors.

But some are ignoring the advice.

A group of close to 50 people held a dance party Friday night in Lynn Canyon Park, much to the chagrin of volunteers with North Shore Rescue.

"It really draws a lot of inexperienced people into the backcountry at night, which is quite problematic,” Mike Danks of North Shore Rescue told CTV Vancouver. “That in turn puts our rescuers at risk if we do need to go in to help them out."

The national weather agency warns that people may experience coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors and those with cardiovascular or lung diseases are especially at risk.

“Some people are going to get through these episodes without feeling much at all,” Sarah Henderson of the BC Centre for Disease Control told CTV Edmonton. “If you find that you're struggling in the smoke that's your body telling you that the smoke is affecting you.

Experts recommend that those in affected areas reduce or reschedule any strenuous outdoor activities while the air quality is poor.

With files from CTV Calgary’s Michael Frankli, CTV Vancouver’s Ben Miljure and CTV Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson and Diego Romero