Smoky skies in Edmonton could be new normal as wildfires worsen: expert

Wildfire smoke blanketing Edmonton in times of hot, dry weather could be the new reality, experts say.

The issue was discussed at the Clean Air Forum, an event held Thursday in Sherwood Park.

About 90 people attended the forum to discuss air quality issues resulting from recent wildfire smoke in northern Alberta.

“Reality is we expect more and more fire with climate change. A hot, drier world will mean more fire and more smoke,” said Dr. Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire at the University of Alberta. “At times, air quality is really poor and you need to stay indoors, avoid strenuous exercise, and if it’s a prolonged period the air quality in your house can be as bad as outside, so air purification systems are needed.”

An organizer said this year’s focus was on wildfire and local smoke issues, including the impact on human health.

So there are a number of things we can do, everything from insuring public buildings have proper ventilation so there are cleaner air shelters, to making sure there is good notification,” said Gary Redmond, executive director of Alberta Capital Airshed. “Making sure people really understand when it’s time to go outside and maybe when it’s time to not go outside.”

He said advisories could include whether or not people should wear masks to filter out smoke when it gets particularly bad.

Alberta Air Quality keeps track of exactly how poor air quality can get on a scale from one to 10. On May 30, smoke from the High Level fire caused the AQHI index to peak at 72.