Editor:
It is absolutely terrifying how many fires there have been recently on the Coast. The few “controlled burns” that were anything but are maddening. It’s a tinder box out there! The invasive and oily scotch broom that lines the highway and quickly covers clear cuts, as well as the native salal that died back due to the harsher winter, are incredibly concerning.
2018 saw the largest, and 2017 the second largest, areas burned in British Columbia since records began in 1950. I went to the BC Lung Association’s Wildfire Smoke and Health Workshop in February, and despite the experts trying to remain optimistic, thanks to climate change, the predictions were for another bad year.
The provincial wildfire year begins on April 1. As of May 10, 98 fires were listed on the BC Wildfire Service website.
Sadly, we will be inundated with smoky skies again this summer. The question is when, not if. So be prepared with a plan of how to reduce your exposure. Individuals with chronic conditions such as COPD, asthma, heart disease, or diabetes, as well as pregnant women, infants, young children, and the elderly are most susceptible to the small pollution particles less than 2.5µm.
Approximately 1/30th the width of human hair, smaller than a red blood cell but larger than a bacteria, PM2.5 can infiltrate our bodies and our buildings. Create a “clean room” in your home where you can seal the door and windows and run a HEPA air purifier.
If you must be outside in the smoke, a mask can give a false sense of security. A surgeon’s mask will do very little. Instead, find a properly fitted N95 or P100 rated respirator.
Forty per cent of B.C. wildfires are human caused with the careless flick of a cigarette being among the common ignitions.
Nara Brenchley, Executive Director, Sunshine Coast Clean Air Society
