Month: May 2023

Special Air Quality Statement (May 16, 2023)

Posted on May 16, 2023

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a Special Air Quality Statement in effect for:

  • Thorhild Co. near Thorhild Opal and Radway, Alta.
  • Sturgeon Co. near Bon Accord Gibbons and Namao, Alta.
  • Sturgeon Co. near Redwater, Alta.
  • Lamont Co. near Bruderheim Lamont and Peno Creek, Alta.
  • Lamont Co. near Andrew and Wostok, Alta.
  • Lamont Co. near Mundare Chipman and Ukrainian Village, Alta.
  • Smoky Lake Co. near Smoky Lake and Waskatenau, Alta.
  • Co. of Two Hills near Willingdon and Hairy Hill, Alta.
  • Fort Saskatchewan and Nrn Strathcona Co., Alta.
  • Elk Island Nat. Park, Alta.
  • City of Edmonton – St. Albert – Sherwood Park, Alta.
  • Strathcona Co. near Ardrossan and Cooking Lake, Alta.
  • Beaver Co. near Tofield, Alta.

From the statement:

“Smoke is causing or expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility. Air quality conditions are expected to improve on Wednesday. Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations. Everyone can take action to reduce their exposure to wildfire smoke.”

Click here for more details.

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Fort Air Partnership January to March 2023 Air Monitoring Results

Posted on May 11, 2023

From January through March 2023, Fort Air Partnership (FAP) recorded 12,716 hours of air monitoring data for use in calculating the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) at seven stations in our Airshed.

 

  • 10,157 (or 79.9%) of the hours were of low-risk AQHI. 
  • 2,249 (or 19.2%) of the hours were moderate-risk AQHI.
  • 110 (or .009%) were high or very high-risk AQHI.

 

Summary of Exceedances

There were 59 one-hour exceedances of the Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives (AAAQO), 30 exceedances of the 24-hour, and six (6) exceedances of the three-day objective in the first three months of 2023.

Wintertime temperature inversions caused the majority of the exceedances. Three exceedances were caused by industry coupled with a wintertime temperature inversion.

Air quality measurements are compared continuously to both one and 24-hour AAAQOs. An exceedance of an AAAQO is reported to the Alberta Government, and the likely cause of the exceedance is investigated.

For more details: January to March 2023 air monitoring report.