It’s a double whammy for Quesnel residents !
The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Northern Health, has now issued an Air Quality Advisory in addition to the Dust Advisory that was already in place.
Ralph Adams, an Air Quality Meteorologist, says it is a very unusual situation as normally fine particulate advisories occur in the winter and dust advisories in the spring when road traction material dries out and dust is created by passing vehicles.
Fine particulate matter concentrations, known as PM 2.5, are at 29 micrograms per cubic metre in Quesnel right now.
The Provincial Objective is 25.
Meanwhile, dust concentrations, known as PM 10, are at a whopping 148.6 micrograms per cubic metre in Quesnel.
The Provincial Objective is just 50.
Adams says both advisories are expected to remain in place until weather conditions change.