Wildfire smoke carries short- and long-term health risks, Alberta experts warn

As Alberta faces the prospect of another summer plagued by wildfire smoke, experts are urging people to monitor conditions and take steps to protect their long-term health.

Environment Canada issued an air quality warning for the city of Calgary on Wednesday as the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) hit levels indicating very high risk.

Fires are already burning in parts of Western Canada, and a mix of dry conditions and hot weather could further increase the risk of wildfires in the coming months, Environment Canada warned this week.

"This is awful that we're facing another potential summer of this poor air quality and wildfire smoke," said Kerri Johannson, a Calgary-based pulmonary physician.

"We know that long-term exposure to air pollution — and this is exactly what this is — is a risk factor for all sorts of chronic diseases."

Those illnesses include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung cancer, she said.

"It's very concerning that this has been a chronic situation over the past decade now, where the entire population is being exposed to high levels of particulates – and particulates that contain really toxic chemicals," said Johannson, who is also an associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Calgary.

When people breathe in smoke, tiny particles can travel deep into their lungs and trigger inflammation there and throughout the body.

What's particularly bad about wildfire smoke, Johannson noted, is that it contains particles from anything that was in the fire's path including trees, tires, building materials and chemicals such as fire retardants.

"Wildfire smoke is quite a dangerous pollutant," said Opel Vuzi, a regional air quality and health specialist with Health Canada.

"The fine particulate matter … goes deep into your lungs and can be absorbed directly into your blood system. And then the toxins can be carried to other parts of your body like the liver, kidney and so on. So it is really concerning."

Anyone can experience eye, nose and throat irritation due to wildfire smoke, according to Alberta Health Services. Other symptoms can include a runny nose, cough or headache. People with heart and lung conditions may experience worsening symptoms.

Wildfire smoke exposure can also lead to more serious conditions including a heart attack, stroke, premature death and low birth weight, according to Health Canada.

"There is no safe level of exposure to that particulate matter," said Vuzi.