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Half face gas mask respirator7/22/2023 The effects of wildfire smoke will first be seen in people with existing respiratory conditions, Brook said, as well as older adults. The risks of smoky air and other pollutants He highlighted that wearing a really well-sealed mask for several hours outside can be “pretty onerous” and may be tempting to remove for some time - which he said might be less beneficial than wearing a mask with less of a tight fit for the entirety of time spent outside.ĭrawing from his experience advising the government of Malaysia several years ago when the country was grappling with forest fire smoke from Indonesia, Brook noted that “you can take some confidence” in knowing there is still some protection in less expensive gear as long as it fits well and is being worn when needed. How many particles are in the air, how long someone is breathing the air and how quickly they are breathing. The amount of particles that would go into someone’s lungs is a function of three things, Brook said. While official advice has been to stay indoors when the air quality is poor, Brook emphasized that outside, “some sort of mask or respirator is your only line of defence.” (He also added that there are several steps people should take to clean the air inside, such as building their own air purifier or using a “state-of-the-art” portable air cleaner or HVAC system.) Needing masks and respirators is “clearly not the way we want the world to go,” Brook said, “but they all provide a benefit in terms of protecting you from what you’re breathing in.” When using a respirator is beneficial and when it’s not Jeff Brook, an associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, weighed in on the merits and drawbacks of using them. So how can Canadians prepare for poor air quality? As conversations about masking return, a few people have pointed to elastomeric respirators as an alternative to regular pandemic-style masks. Global temperatures are continuing to rise, and even with this wildfire season on track to be the worst on record, scientists are warning that fires are set to increase and intensify. Of those, 240 are out of control and almost one-fourth are in Quebec. Smoke from wildfires pose serious health risks, experts say, especially for children, seniors, and people with breathing problems and other chronic health conditions.Īccording to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, 465 fires are burning across the country. It’s not the first time this year that forest fire smoke has forced people to make changes.Įarlier this month, wildfires from Quebec and northeastern Ontario brought smoky skies and poor air quality to Toronto, giving the city a glimpse of some of the immediate impacts of climate change. An Ironman triathlon in Quebec has been cancelled, youth soccer and baseball programs in Ottawa and Montreal have been shut down and outdoor pools and beaches in Ottawa and Gatineau have been closed. As wildfires increase in Canada again, Ontario and Quebec have received dangerous air quality warnings.
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