Smoke from the wildfires burning in BC has made its way to Airdrie, prompting Alberta Health Services to issue an Air Quality Advisory.

According to the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), Airdrie is forecasted to hit 7 out of 10, which is high on the scale. That high index number means many in Airdrie may find it hard to breathe at times, or develop irritations in the throat or eyes.

When it comes to how long the smoke could linger in Airdrie, Dr. David Strong with AHS says it's hard to tell.

"There's no real rain evident in the forecast that you can look at. Some of those fires are out of control and so [if] the winds blow this way, we're going to have problems. This could be ongoing 'til we get actually some good quantity of rain to help put those fires out."

Dr. Strong says as long as the fires are burning and the winds are shifting towards southern Alberta, the smoke could be here for days or even weeks.

Regardless of whether you or your family suffer from chronic breathing problems, Dr. Strong says everyone should play it safe while the smoke is here.

"Really they should remain indoors, try to keep the windows and doors closed to just keep the air internal. Then monitoring their symptoms. If they find a worsening of their symptoms they take the precautions, hopefully routinely recommended by their physicians."

To see more on the Air Quality Health Index for Airdrie and Southern Alberta, you can visit the Environment and Parks website

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