Update: The Advisory Continues Today Tuesday January 15.
Here is a snapshot of the readings from the station on top of Alberni Elementary. It remains very near the threshold for an advisory.
Details are below. Check here for current levels and for updated advisories here:
http://www.bcairquality.ca
I will update this post if things change.
MEDIA RELEASE
AIR QUALITY ADVISORY AND OPEN BURNING RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALBERNI VALLEY, WITHIN 15 KM OF PORT ALBERNI CITY HALL
(January 14, 2013 – Port Alberni, B.C.)
The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Vancouver Island Health Authority has issued an Air Quality Advisory for the Alberni Valley because of high concentrations of fine particulates that are expected to persist for the next few days.
Persons with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted. Staying indoors and in air conditioned spaces helps to reduce fine particulate exposure. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.
Open burning restrictions are now in effect for the Alberni Valley within 15 kilometres of the Port Alberni City Hall for a period of three days. No new fires may be initiated and no additional material may be added to existing fires.
For more information on burning restrictions, see the section below entitled ‘Mandatory Emission Reduction Actions.’ For more information on current air quality, see: www.bcairquality.ca.
Tips to reduce your personal health risk.
• Avoid areas with wood smoke.
• Continue to control medical conditions such as asthma, chronic respiratory disease and heart
failure. If symptoms continue to be bothersome, seek medical attention.
• Maintaining good overall health is a good way to reduce health risks resulting from short-term
exposure to air pollution.
Additional tips for those with chronic underlying medical conditions:
• Stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and reduce indoor sources of pollution such as smoking, vacuuming and use of wood stoves.
• Run an air cleaner. Some room air cleaners, such as HEPA filters, can help reduce indoor particulate levels provided they are the right size for your home and filters are changed regularly.
• Take shelter in air-conditioned buildings which have large indoor volumes and limited entry of outdoor air.
Mandatory Emission Reduction Actions
• As pollution may occur from open burning, the Director has suspended the exemption in the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation (Sections 2(i) and 4(2)(a)) that allows for open burning of debris to occur without a permit or approval from the Ministry of Environment. For the next three days, no new fires may be initiated in the Alberni Valley within a 15 kilometre radius from the Port Alberni City Hall and pursuant to Section 4(2)(c) of the Regulation, no additional material may be added to existing fires. Contravention of these provisions may be subject to a fine under the Regulation.
Date issued: January 14, 2013
_________________________________
Randy Alexander for Director, Environmental Management Act West Coast Region
Voluntary Emission Reduction Actions
• Avoid the use of wood stoves and fireplaces unless it is the sole source of residential heat.
• Where wood stoves or fireplaces are the sole source of residential heat, use only CSA/EPA emissions approved wood-burning appliances and well-cured wood, and ensure an adequate supply of combustion air.
• Follow local backyard burning and woodstove bylaws.
• Avoid backyard burning where a bylaw does not exist.
• Reduce the use and idling of vehicles.
Additional Information
• Fine particulate (PM2.5) concentrations averaged over 24 hours, were 26 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3) as of 1:00 PM today. This exceeds the provincial air quality objective of 25 μg/m3.
• Sources of fine particulates contributing to this air quality episode include wood smoke (wood stoves and/or open burning) as well as emissions from commercial activities and industry, and from transportation sources such as motor vehicles and marine traffic.
• Wood smoke concentrations are expected to be higher during the evening, overnight and early morning hours and should improve during the daylight hours. A stagnant air mass is expected to stay over the area for the next couple of days.
• Real-time air quality information from Port Alberni and other B.C. communities can be found at: www.bcairquality.ca.
Contact: Earle Plain, Air Quality Meteorologist, Ministry of Environment, (250) 751-3171 Contact: Valerie Wilson, Vancouver Island Health Authority Communications, (250) 739-6303
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Comments
2 responses to “Air Quality Advisory Issued for Alberni Valley”
For the last few days on my ride across town I’ve noticed a relatively faint, but consistent smell of burning rubber. Is it possible that Catalyst is burning tires for fuel and the inversion is trapping that smell in?
I believe they are always burning TDF but its capped at a very low percentage so I’d be surprised if you could smell it at all. That said, if you are going to smell it, now would be the time.
I’ve noticed more than a fair share of belching chimneys over the past little while. A couple that really stunk of plastic too… So that is a possibility as well.
One thing is for sure, the air is not great out there.