Update Sunday, Nov 11: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in collaboration with Northern Health has ended the Air Quality Advisory for Quesnel issued Saturday due to improved air quality.
Original Article Saturday, Nov 10: An air quality advisory is in effect for Quesnel until further notice.
The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Northern Health issued the advisory late Saturday morning.
“Right now we have a bit of a combination between uncooperative weather and emissions that have led to high levels of fine particulate matter in Quesnel,” said Ben Weinstein an air quality meteorologist with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
“There’s a ridge of high pressure over much of BC and strengthening associated with downward moving air and weak surface wind. So when we put emissions into the air under those kinds of meteorological conditions we tend to get an increased level of air pollutants.”
Exposure to fine particulate matter is of particular concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
Staying indoors helps to reduce exposure to fine particulate matter.
“Probably later on Monday, the system will pass on and we’ll get increased instability in the atmosphere, and better movement and turbulence to help clear things out,” Weinstein said.
Real-time air quality observations and information regarding the health effects of air pollution can be found at:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air