The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Northern Health Authority has issued a road dust advisory for Burns Lake and Houston because of high concentrations of dust that are expected to persist over the weekend.
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities and stay indoors with windows and doors closed. If you are experiencing symptoms such as continuing eye or throat irritation, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, cough or wheeze, follow the advice of your health care provider, particularly if you are elderly, have asthma, hay fever, breathing or lung conditions or if you react strongly to road dust.
Tips to reduce your personal health risk; avoid roads with heavy vehicle traffic, if you stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and reduce indoor sources of pollution, such as smoking, vacuuming and use of wood stoves, continue to control medical conditions such as asthma, hay fever and chronic respiratory disease. If symptoms continue to be bothersome, seek medical attention.
Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short term exposure to air pollution.
This advisory has been triggered by high concentrations of road dust, measured as coarse particles, PM10, which have diameters 10 micrometres or smaller.
The provincial air quality objective for coarse particles, PM10, is 50 micrograms per cubic metre, averaged over 24 hours. The 24 hour average PM10 concentrations are 96 micrograms per cubic metre for Burns Lake as of 8 a.m. Friday March 23, 2012.
The current dusty conditions are caused by road traffic stirring up winter traction materials that have accumulated on roadways over the past winter. These conditions will persist until there is precipitation or the streets are cleaned.
This advisory may be expanded to other communities over the weekend as dust concentrations increase everywhere.
Real-time air quality information for B.C. communities can be found at: www.bcairquality.ca.