Understanding Air Quality

With the recent smoke from wildfires persisting across the BC landscape, much attention has been drawn to air quality and how we can make healthy outdoor air choices.

So what can we do to protect ourselves and what are some tools in understanding air quality?

The acronym AQHI stands for Air Quality Health Index. It is an easy to use colour-coded barometer, identifying what the condition of the air is in your area. The index or tool can be used to guide your decisions on how to prepare for activities outdoors.

You can find a copy of a reference guide which summarises the levels of air quality and how to moderate your activity based on the identified level in your area in addition to other educational materials at Environment Canada’s website.

So how do we know what the most current AQHI is in our communities?

You can keep updated on the most current forecast through various online resources including the Weather Network, the Government of Canada’s website, and there is even a downloadable app for both iphone or Android devices from AQHI Canada.

We all love to be outdoors in beautiful British Columbia, but as we continue to cope with the smoky skylines, we should be vigilant and try protecting ourselves by limiting our exposure by using tools like the AQHI.