Year of devastating wildfires meant Canadians were breathing worse air than southern neighbours for first time ever

Year of devastating wildfires meant Canadians were breathing worse air than southern neighbours for first time ever

Canada’s pristine air quality has been long praised by its citizens and prized by its government. But the thick plumes of smoke and miles of haze released by a record-breaking season of wildfires deteriorated the country’s air so much that it has fallen behind the United States for the first time on record, highlighting the wide-ranging and damaging effects of the blazes.

In its sixth annual World Air Quality report released on Tuesday, the Switzerland-based IQAir found overall air quality in Canada was worse than its southern neighbour. Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada. Overall, Canada and the United States were ranked 93 and 102 for their air quality (Bangladesh, at No 1 was the most polluted).

The bulk of those communities were clustered in Canada’s western provinces, where wildfires engulfed the largest swaths of land.

  • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    8 months ago

    I was using masks in Korea before the pandemic because the air quality would occasionally get bad enough to warrant them. I downloaded an app to monitor the air quality so I’d know when to wear them, because it was regularly giving me a sore throat even when I couldn’t see or smell it.

    After coming back to Canada, I thought I’d be done with them after the pandemic. Maybe wear them in crowded places while sick.

    Then the wildfires happened on the other side of the country, and the app I forgot to uninstall gave me a warning.

    The air quality was at the level where I’d been suggested to wear a mask even indoors with the windows closed.