What Do I Need to Know About Air Quality in Merritt?
Both Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks monitor air quality in BC. A national network of Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) monitoring stations is used to forecast air quality health risk on a scale from 1 (low health risk) to 10+ (very high health risk).
Merritt is located in the Nicola Air Quality Region. The Nicola Air Quality Region does not have an AQHI monitoring station and consequently Merritt does not receive a local AQHI forecast. The AQHI monitoring station nearest Merritt is located in Kamloops.
Although Merritt does not receive an AQHI forecast, the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks may still issue air quality warnings for the Nicola Air Quality Region when air quality is expected to be impacted by wildfire smoke. Air quality warnings are posted on the BC Air Quality Warnings website.
What Are the Health Impacts?
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, symptoms of exposure to wildfire smoke include:
- Sore throat
- Eye irritation
- Runny nose
- Phlegm production
- Wheezy breathing
- Headaches
Who Is Most at Risk?
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, the following people are at greater risk of experiencing health impacts as a result of exposure to wildfire smoke:
- Older adults
- People with pre-existing chronic conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, and diabetes
- People who are pregnant
- Infants and young children
Where Is Wildfire Smoke Coming From?
During the summer wildfire season, air quality in Merritt is sometimes impacted by wildfire smoke. While smoke may originate from a nearby wildfire, it can also travel to Merritt from fires located hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away. FireSmoke.ca is a Canadian project that displays where smoke originates from and where it is travelling to. FireSmoke.ca data is also accessible as a layer in the BC Wildfire Service online map program.
BC Air Quality Subscription Service
Merritt residents may receive alerts about local air quality by using the BC Air Quality Subscription Service to register to receive notifications for the Nicola Air Quality Region.
The Merritt Parcel Street Air Monitoring Station
Merritt does not have an AQHI monitoring station; however, the Parcel Street air monitoring station does collect local temperature, wind speed, and humidity data.
Where Can I Learn More?
We recommend visiting the following websites to learn more about air quality in Merritt:
