City endures smokiest July on record

This month has been the smokiest July that Brandon has seen since records started being kept more than 60 years ago, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

To blame is the worst Manitoba wildfire season in 30 years and prevailing north winds pushing the smoke southward.

The thick smoke has doctors cautioning people about restricting their time outdoors and prompted Canada’s weather service to issue warnings about air quality.

“Yes, officially it is the smokiest July on record, with data going back to 1961,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Crawford Luke.

“It is also the second smokiest month ever in Brandon, and that was way back in August of 1961 when both Brandon and Winnipeg had a ton of smoke observed, so that must have been a crazy summer,” he said.

Environment Canada releases an air quality index on a scale of one to 10 each day, with the high-risk range being above seven. The air quality forecast for Wednesday was 10 plus on the index.

With one day left in July, the Wheat City had been under an air quality statement or warning for 16 days this month.

Brandon couple Mark and Wendy Chadwick said they didn’t need statistics to tell them the smoke has been bad.

“He has asthma,” Wendy said, nodding to her husband. “His coughing has been terrible.”

Mark said his doctor told him to limit outdoor activities, but there was a breeze Wednesday afternoon in Brandon, so the two decided to get out and enjoy the downtown market.

“Not bad today, but it’s felt like I’ve had a cold the whole time,” Mark said. “It’s a bit hard to breathe, but we needed the fresh air.”

Neepawa family physician Dr. Nichelle Desilets said lungs are like a sponge. When they have particulates from the smoke in them, they are not able to move and fill up with air as easily as in clear air conditions.

Desilets said she has noticed an increase in the number of people with irritated throats and coughs at the Beautiful Plains Community Medical Clinic and in the emergency department at the Neepawa Health Centre.

“I’m seeing a lot more cases where we’ve ruled out all the other things and it’s really looking like it’s related to the smoke in the atmosphere,” said Desilets, who is also the president of Doctors Manitoba.

“For example, a chronic sore throat that we haven’t been able to find another cause for links up with the smoke exposure.”

Other patients presented as having sinus issues, but once the test results came back, Desilets said that wasn’t the cause. Folks with asthma are also using more of their medication, she added.

In the emergency department, “more people are coming in with what we call exacerbations of chronic lung disease,” Desilets said.

“These are for folks who would normally be controlled on a certain regimen of medication, but something can tip them over the edge, like having a cold or an environmental exposure like wildfire smoke. And then that leads them to needing more or different medications to control their breathing.”

Smoke can impact all ages, but particularly at risk are young children, the elderly, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease, and pregnant women.

Some of the most common symptoms from exposure to smoke include sore and tearing eyes, irritated throat, cough, runny nose and a headache.

More severe symptoms can include chest pain, dizziness, a fast or irregular heartbeat, wheezing and difficulty breathing, Desilets said.

“If folks are really concerned about their symptoms and something’s changing rapidly, like shortness of breath and inability to breathe, that is a reason to go to the emergency room. So please do so if you think you need it.”

Desilets also reminded people to keep their eye on the air quality alerts. When it’s at its worst, stay indoors and set the air conditioning to recirculate instead of drawing from outside.

The air quality warning issued by Environment Canada on Wednesday might be extended into the weekend, said Luke.

“Adding to that are the north winds ahead of an area of high pressure that’s coming in from Saskatchewan. Sometimes with high pressure, it kind of traps the smoke at the surface, so that’s another factor we’re contending with,” he said.

“But the good news is by Friday and into the weekend, it looks like the high pressure will move off to the east, and then our winds are going to switch around to be out of the south.

“So hopefully that will help to clear up some of the smoke.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» enviromichele.bsky.social