Air quality warning for Okanagan, Shuswap due to wildfire smoke

People in Okanagan and Shuswap will be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next few days.

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement warning wildfire smoke is going to impact parts of the southern Interior over the next 24 to 48 hours.

“Smoke concentration is predicted to be highly variable over the next 24 hours as winds change across the region,” the air quality statement reads. “Smoke conditions can change quickly over short distances and can vary considerably hour-by-hour.”

Environment Canada says as smoke levels increase so do the health risks. The weather office advises the public to limit time outdoors and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor activity.

“You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough,” the advisory reads. “More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance.”

For the latest information about air quality go here.

For more information about wildfire smoke, air quality and your health go here.