A dust advisory was issued for Quesnel by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (MECCS) in collaboration with Northern Health this morning (Mar. 29).
High concentrations of dust are expected to persist until there is precipitation or dust suppression.
Dust concentrations tend to be highest around busy roads and industrial operations; so infants, the elderly or those those with respiratory issues should avoid those areas if possible.
While the advisory should be lifted by 5:00 p.m. this evening, Ralph Adams, an air quality meteorologist for MECCS, says that Quesnel can expect a few more days of this next week.
“The dust we’re getting this time of year is due to the road traction material,” he says.
“Until it gets picked up by the road maintenance people, the concentration of dust in the air will remain high.”
Real-time air quality information from Quesnel and other B.C. communities can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air.
Tips to reduce your personal health risk:
- Avoid roads with heavy vehicle traffic.
- Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity; if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
- Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.
- People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of poor air quality and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to poor air quality exposure. Continue to control medical conditions such as asthma, hay fever, and chronic respiratory disease. If symptoms continue to be bothersome, seek medical attention.
- Keep windows and doors closed, and reduce indoor sources of pollution such as smoking and vacuuming.
- Run an air cleaner. Some room air cleaners, such as HEPA filters, can help reduce indoor concentrations of particulate matter provided the filters are the right size for your home and are kept clean.
- Buildings which have large indoor volumes of filtered outside air may provide temporary relief for those with respiratory and cardiac issues.