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Winnipeg Free Press
08-08-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Choking smoke in city ranks worst in Canada; health expert sounds alarm
Much of Manitoba had the worst air quality in Canada Thursday, as researchers warn the long-term effects of the smog are not yet fully realized. 'We know that there's increases in things like heart attacks and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest when it's smoky outside. We are learning about the neurological symptoms and we are learning more about the metabolic effects,' said Sarah Henderson, the scientific director of Environmental Health Services at the BC Centre for Disease Control during a virtual Thursday news conference to provide an update on Canada's wildfire situation. 'The key message here is that smoke affects the entire body.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Smoke hangs over the Red River as people walk the River Trail at The Forks on Thursday. AQMap, a site which compiles data on air quality from Environment and Climate Change Canada, showed parts of Winnipeg registered 269 Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) Thursday afternoon. Areas in Saskatchewan registered second at 239 PM2.5. Anything above 100 PM2.5 is considered very unhealthy. Winnipeg set a record for it's smokiest year to date. The city had recorded 306 smoke hours as of Tuesday, compared with 304 in 1961. People with medical conditions such as asthma, COPD, chronic heart diseases and chronic kidney disease are all at a heightened risk for complications, but birth outcomes could also be affected. 'We know that there are birth outcomes associated with smoke exposures, so there is a higher risk of pre term birth for infants who were exposed to smoke well in utero. We know that there's a higher risk of potential stillbirth,' Henderson said. With drought-like conditions fuelling wildfires across Manitoba and smoke in the long-term forecast, Henderson said the only option is for people to protect themselves against exposure. 'The No. 1 piece of information that you will hear is go inside and close the windows and doors. That may help to protect people somewhat, but it is not enough,' she said. Using indoor air purifiers and wearing masks are good ways to reduce smoke exposure, Henderson said. Andrew Halayko, a professor of physiology and pathophysiology at the University of Manitoba's Max Rady College of Medicine and Canada Research chair in lung pathobiology and treatment, said areas in Manitoba that were historically polluted could be greatly affected. Halayko pointed to communities such as Flin Flon, which has a long history of mining and resource extraction and has polluted the nearby ground with heavy metals such as lead, mercury and selenium. A fire in the region in late May forced the evacuation of the city, located about 760 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. 'What happens to those metals when they're released from the soil? Do they somehow chemically interact with particles that we're inhaling? So now there's an element to that particular smoke that's more toxic,' he said. 'These are questions we don't know.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Winnipeg had recorded 306 smoke hours as of Tuesday, compared with 304 in 1961. Halayko is in the process of acquiring grants to further research how wildfire smoke interacts with other toxins, such as vehicle exhaust, and how it affects human health. The professor said he's also worried about how wildfire smoke will affect people psychologically; the directive to stay indoors is reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic and is changing social behaviours. It also adds a layer of stress to those who live near wildfires but not close enough to be evacuated. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. 'I think you would just increase the all these stressors on your day-to-day life. People think, 'That fire, although not in my backyard, is it actually going to take out the electricity to my town?' 'And what about people who are displaced? Maybe you've never been to Winnipeg. Never been in a large city. You're now being asked to sleep in large rooms like the convention centre on cots (alongside) people that you don't necessarily know. It's incredibly devastating to those people. It's got to be traumatic.' Halayko speculated that there could be some urban migration in Manitoba due to repeated wildfires in the North, but Henderson stopped short of telling residents to make moving plans. 'We know we cannot predict where and when smoke will be, and so it's really about learning to live with smoke when it occurs and developing that population scale resiliency, and thinking through all of the ways that we can reduce our exposure,' she said. Nicole BuffieMultimedia producer Nicole Buffie is a reporter for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom as a multimedia producer in 2023. Read more about Nicole. Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hamilton Spectator
12-06-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
KSCS issues PSA regarding Tick-Borne Disease
Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia'takéhnhas Community Services (KSCS) is urging residents to take precautions during outdoor activities in the coming weeks, as tick populations continue to spread across southern Quebec. The PSA comes as seasonal changes and warm weather drives more people outside which increases the likelihood of a tick encounter among residents. Mark Horne, Team Leader of Environmental Health Services at KSCS, advised community members to remain especially vigilant while hiking, camping and hunting. 'The biggest risks are in deeper forested areas,' Horne said. 'That's where ticks are more likely to live and latch onto people.' KSCS warned residents to be on the lookout for blacklegged ticks specifically, which are known to carry several dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease. Horne warned that anyone experiencing a fever, headache, stiff neck, fatigue, muscle aches and or bullseye-shaped rashes after a tick bite should seek medical attention immediately. 'The sooner people can recognize these symptoms, the better their chances of getting treated quickly,' said Horne. The advisory follows reports from several local health authorities that the range of multiple tick species, including the blacklegged tick, have been expanding into previously uninhabited regions. Professor Manisha Kulkarni, Scientific Director of the Canadian Lyme Disease Research Network, attributed this spread of tick populations to climate change and disruptions in local ecosystems. '[Climate change] is causing a longer warm period between the spring and fall when ticks are active,' Kulkarni said. 'They have more opportunity to find a host to feed on and then they're able to more successfully reproduce and have larger populations.' KSCS raised the concern that Kahnawà:ke's location near deep forests and the St. Lawrence River could make it the epicenter of future tick outbreaks. Horne reassured residents that, with the proper education and precaution, the risk of tick exposure and Lyme disease in Kahnawà:ke remains low. However, Kulkarni warned that this could change across Canada in the coming years. 'As tick populations expand into new regions, more and more people are going to be exposed to ticks, and will be at risk of Lyme disease,' Kulkarni said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Why Mosquitoes Are Getting More Dangerous—And What You Can Do About It
Texas officials are warning residents to brace themselves—not for hurricanes or heatwaves, but for something far smaller and deadlier: mosquitoes. Thanks to recent storms and rising global temperatures, health officials say mosquito season is arriving early, lasting longer, and becoming far more dangerous, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Experts are sounding the alarm as conditions across the South, from Texas to Florida, create a perfect breeding ground for the so-called deadliest animal on the planet. 'Mosquito seasons are running longer than before,' said Marcel Elizondo, head of Austin's Environmental Health Services division. 'We're seeing more standing water, more heat, and more ideal conditions for mosquito reproduction.' That's bad news when you consider what mosquitoes actually bring with them. According to the American Mosquito Control Association, mosquitoes kill over 1 million people a year worldwide, not directly, but by spreading devastating diseases like malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile. Malaria alone is responsible for more than 600,000 preventable deaths annually, and U.S. cases of West Nile and Zika are climbing in southern states. "Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on the planet," Bethany Bolling, who leads virus testing for the Texas Department of State Health Services, told KAXN. Climate change is supercharging the threat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, warmer temperatures speed up mosquito lifecycles, increase biting rates, and accelerate the disease incubation process inside the insect. Add in flooding and standing water from spring storms, and you've got a perfect storm. What can you do? Public health officials recommend draining standing water from gutters, buckets, and flower pots, fixing leaks, and treating ponds with mosquito dunks. If you're hiking or camping, DEET-based repellents and full-coverage clothing are your best bet. This isn't just about comfort. It's about stopping a silent killer from getting louder and protecting your health while enjoying the Mosquitoes Are Getting More Dangerous—And What You Can Do About It first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 5, 2025
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Health officials sound alarm as 'deadliest animal on the planet' spreads across southern US — here's what you need to know
Officials in Texas have sounded the alarm after recent storms left prime breeding conditions just in time for peak mosquito season, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Local experts are particularly concerned about the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile and Zika. Already facing an uphill battle as rising global temperatures expand peak mosquito season beyond its traditional dates, Texas officials in charge of managing mosquito populations now must combat high levels of standing water and hot, humid conditions perfect for mosquito reproduction, per the American-Statesman. "We've seen the weather changing over the years here in Austin, and as a result, we've seen mosquito seasons running longer than before," Marcel Elizondo, chief of Austin's Environmental Health Services division, said in a statement. Mosquitoes are an annoyance for some; for others, they can be deadly. According to the American Mosquito Control Association, over 1 million people around the world die every single year from mosquito-borne diseases. "Mosquitos are the deadliest animals on the planet," Bethany Bolling, who oversees mosquito virus testing at the Texas Department of State Health Services, told KXAN. Mosquitoes transmit disease through their bites, spreading deadly illnesses like malaria and dengue in addition to West Nile and Zika, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malaria alone is responsible for over 600,000 preventable deaths annually. Mosquitoes are a prime example of the negative impacts that rising global temperatures have on human health. In addition to hotter temperatures, changes in weather patterns are causing increased rainfall in certain areas, creating the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rising temperatures can influence the way mosquitoes spread disease in other ways, too. "Studies show that warmer temperatures associated with climate change can accelerate mosquito development, biting rates, and the incubation of the disease within a mosquito," according to the EPA. Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites? Absolutely Only when I'm camping or hiking Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While public health officials monitor mosquito populations and test breeding grounds for diseases like West Nile, there are several things that you can do to help protect yourself and your family. First, try to eliminate all standing water, as that is the primary breeding ground for mosquitoes. This includes places like clogged gutters, plant saucers, buckets, and toys, according to Austin Public Health. If you have bird baths or other outdoor water for animals, make sure to change it at least once a week to prevent mosquitoes from developing. Next, make sure to repair all leaky faucets and pipes, as these can provide sources of the moisture mosquitoes need to reproduce. Similarly, if you have a rainwater cistern, make sure it is properly sealed to prevent mosquitoes from entering. Finally, if you have permanent standing water on your property, such as a pond, you can purchase a mosquito dunk, which contains a biological larvicide that will kill young mosquitoes, per Austin Public Health. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
