The  City of Airdrie and parts of central and southern Alberta are currently under a special air quality statement.

The smoke in the air seems to be caused by wildfires in British Columbia. 

Dr Jason Cabaj from Alberta Health Services says there are some risks when it comes to air pollution.  

"There is a range of health effects related to air pollution. The most common is respiratory illness or the worsening of respiratory conditions for those who already have an illness."

Cabaj says although it doesn't happen often, in rare cases death is possible. 

"We know that when there are periods of poor air quality there can be additional mortalities and deaths related to air quality, so it's important for people to think about both short term and long term effects of poor air quality."

According to Cabaj, it's important to keep an eye on the air quality index and any issues given by Environment Canada. 

When there are poor air quality statements infants and the elderly can be more at risk than others. 

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