Smoke prompts health alert, wreaks havoc with events

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This article was published 16/08/2023 (834 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Poor air quality in Winnipeg, sparked by wildfires raging across Canada’s North, forced a halt to horse racing and has cast a shadow of uncertainty for organizers of popular attractions.

Environment and Climate Change Canada released special air quality statements for Winnipeg on Tuesday and Wednesday, warning that air quality fluctuated between high and moderate risk, and posed danger to people with lung or heart disease, children, older people and pregnant women, in particular.

“Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or you or someone in your care feel unwell. Contact your health care provider or local health authority if you develop severe symptoms or need advice,” the federal agency advised.

On Wednesday, from midnight to 1 a.m., air quality was categorized as “very high risk,” after having peaked at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

As a result of poor air quality, Assiniboia Downs was forced to cancel Tuesday evening’s race card due to concern for the safety of horses and riders.

“In consultation with the (Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association) and the (Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority) and in consideration of the welfare of the horses and riders, Assiniboia Downs has cancelled live racing for Tuesday, August 15 due to poor air quality,” the Assiniboia Downs wrote in a Facebook post.

Blaine McLaren, president of the horsemen’s association, said air quality poses a risk to horses and riders alike.

The association relies on the advice of a veterinarian to determine whether air quality is a risk to the health and safety of horses, riders and attendees.

“On advice from our regulator, we set a discussion point, or a monitoring point of six and seven on that air quality index,” McLaren said.

Winnipeg’s air quality index returned to the low risk category by late Wednesday morning.

Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with the federal agency, said air quality is expected to “ebb and flow” between moderate and severe levels over the next few days.

“There’s really a crisis going on in the Northwest Territories right now. A number of communities are evacuated under evacuation notice (and) a lot of infrastructure has already been affected by the wildfires,” Hoffman said.

Air quality is expected to improve in northern Manitoba beginning early Thursday but likely won’t improve in southern Manitoba until Thursday evening.

As air quality concerns loom, many outdoor festivals remain scheduled. At the Folklorama festival, four sites — the Punjab, Scottish, Chinese and Casa do Minho Portuguese pavilions — have outdoor components.

Tanya Williams, Folklorama’s marketing director, said organizers have told her air quality considerations will be a “game time” decision.

Rainbow Trout Music Festival and the Burt Block Party are also scheduled this weekend. Neither responded to the Free Press’s request for comment about air-quality concerns.

In response to growing air quality concerns due to summer wildfires, the City of Winnipeg is looking at implementing designated air-quality shelters in future.

The first phase of the Winnipeg Clean Air Space project, in which 50 buildings were assessed to determine if they were suitable as shelters from poor air, was completed in March 2023 using funding from Health Canada.

“Through the use of a contractor, they developed a facility assessment tool,” said Mike Olczyk, the city’s emergency management co-ordinator. “The basis for the tool was Health Canada’s guidance for cleaner air spaces during wildfire smoke events.”

Many elements were considered, including the age of the building, filtration and accessibility. At this time, the city isn’t prepared to say which buildings were deemed acceptable.

Given the success of the first phase, Health Canada provided an additional $100,000 for Phase 2, which will determine how a clean air site could be implemented in practice through a test exercise, set to take place next year.

cierra.bettens@freepress.mb.ca