As wildfires engulf British Columbia, 91大黄鸭 grapples with unprecedented air quality challenges, forcing residents, including outdoor sports enthusiasts, to rethink their summer routines. With 2023's devastating blazes, the future of outdoor recreation hangs in a precarious balance.
Five of the wildfire seasons in the history of B.C. occurred between 2017 and 2024. And that has meant poorer air quality in places like 91大黄鸭.
Jamie Menzies, president of Pickleball 91大黄鸭, said smoky days mean poor turnout on the courts 鈥� which is especially detrimental for outdoor sports with limited seasons.
"[Our members] are not prepared to put their health at risk for a game of pickleball," she said. "They're very wise about when and when not to play."
The club ensures its members know the air quality measurements on game days to give them the power to make informed decisions.
Menzies said although the club has had some close calls during the McDougall Creek fires of 2023, they鈥檝e been lucky so far and haven鈥檛 had to cancel any events.
But club members are worried about more than just missing a tournament or two. Like many other 91大黄鸭 locals, Menzies said she is 鈥渁bsolutely concerned鈥� for the future of their community as a whole.
Dr. Sue Pollock, medical health officer for Interior Health, has noticed the worsening wildfires over her own lifetime.
鈥淚 was born and raised in the Okanagan Valley,鈥� Pollock said. 鈥淚 remember a time when we did not have wildfire smoke ever in the summertime.鈥�
One of the biggest concerns with wildfire smoke is the uncertainty surrounding the , something Pollock said is still being researched.
Although studies are discovering more about wildfire smoke鈥檚 potential for lasting effects on health, Pollock stressed the importance of limiting exposure as a protective measure.
But the smoky air isn鈥檛 the biggest threat in the Okanagan summers. The real danger happens when heatwaves and wildfire smoke coincide.
鈥淗eat is going to be ,鈥� Pollock said. When there is poor air quality during periods of extreme heat, Interior Health wants people to 鈥減rioritize cooling down鈥� before worrying about the smoke.
The best protection is to stay indoors with clean, filtered air and to avoid strenuous outdoor activity. For anyone who can鈥檛 avoid smoky air, like outdoor workers, a well-fitted respirator (like N95 or KN95) can reduce exposure to harmful particles.
Interior Health and Health Canada recommend creating within homes by setting up a portable air purifier in an air-conditioned room.
But not everyone has access to air conditioning or air purifiers at home. In those cases, Pollock said people may need to 鈥済o somewhere else to seek cool, clean air鈥� in places like malls or homes of friends and family.
Michael J. Ballingall, senior vice president of Big White Ski Resort, has witnessed the value of cooler temperatures and fresh air during wildfire smoke episodes.
Ballingall said the altitude can make "a huge difference" in air quality up on the mountain.
plays a big role in air quality during wildfires. Factors like altitude, proximity to fire and wind direction can result in varying air quality across the region.
Although Big White may not be as well-known for its summer tourism, the mountain is a valuable sanctuary when thick smoke settles into the Valley, said Ballingall.
"We get a lot of people that have asthma or 鈥� breathing problems come to the resort for that relief," he said. "The majority of the time, we're normally above the smoke, or the wind's blowing in the right direction."
Despite the Valley's reputation as "Smokeanagan" in recent years, Ballingall has a more optimistic outlook on the future of the region.
Fires happen and smoke settles in the valley 鈥� but the fires get put out and the land recovers. He sees no reason to panic and has faith in the Valley鈥檚 ability to bounce back.
And there鈥檚 still some hope on the horizon among locals like Ballingall and Menzies.
鈥淚 take it a bit in stride,鈥� Menzies said. While she isn鈥檛 a fan of having to give up on playing pickleball due to weather, she reminds herself she鈥檚 鈥渦p against the elements鈥� and tries not to let it affect her too much.
You can鈥檛 outplay the weather and sometimes, the smartest move is knowing when to sit one out and stay home.
What you need to know
How clean is the air in your home?
We鈥檝e heard it all before: Keep your doors and windows closed when the air outside is smoky. But is that really enough?
Eric Coker, an environmental health scientist with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, doesn鈥檛 think so.
He said some pollutants still get inside, while lack of ventilation means more dust and increased indoor-generated air pollution.
Keeping polluted air out of homes is important 鈥� but so is proper airflow. Coker recommends checking air quality information regularly for brief periods of cleaner air.
鈥淲hen those times happen, open your doors and windows to let fresh air in,鈥� he said.
Coker also advises people to check their air filters and replace them based on the manufacturers鈥� recommended schedules.
But Dan Hunter, general manager of Airco Heating and Cooling, said manufacturer recommendations aren鈥檛 perfect guidelines and people shouldn鈥檛 rely only on what the labels say.
鈥淚 would check [filters] monthly,鈥� Hunter said.
He suggests checking more often in warmer months since there are factors that affect the lifespan of a filter such as 鈥渄rier air in the summertime, maybe smoke, maybe dust.鈥�
With so many variables involved, he said the best practice is to physically look at how dirty your filters are.
When in doubt, take a peek 鈥� your lungs might thank you for it.
This story was written by a student in as part of a partnership between KPU and Black Press Media.
