Wildfire smoke pollutes air quality in large swath of Manitoba this weekend
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a warning Saturday morning for a large swath of Manitoba, advising people to limit their time outside and reschedule any outdoor activities due to the poor air quality.
The warning covers The Pas, Thompson, Flin Flon, Dauphin and other communities in Manitoba's Interlake, north and west.
The federal agency said that everyone's health is at risk during heavy smoke conditions, but pregnant people, infants, seniors and those with underlying chronic health conditions are likely to be more impacted.
People may experience mild symptoms including eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough, Environment Canada said. More serious symptoms that are less common include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough.
Environment Canada is advising people to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. If people need to spend time outdoors, the federal agency is suggesting limiting it as much as possible, but even with reduced exposure, there can still be a risk to health.
The federal agency is forecasting the air quality health index in Winnipeg will soar from a level 2 (low risk) on Saturday morning to a "very high risk" 10+ level by the end of the day, remaining in that range during Sunday as well.
Environment Canada is also expecting Brandon's air quality to worsen throughout Saturday. As of 6 a.m. on Saturday, the federal agency is forecasting the index to jump to Level 6 — the "moderate risk" range — by the afternoon from level 2.
The smoke is drifting from a number of wildfires in Manitoba that have forced the evacuation of thousands and led the province to declare a second state of emergency.
According to the province's latest fire bulletin, issued Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 122 active wildfires across the province, which has seen a total of 317 wildfires to date, well above the average for this time of year of 231.
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