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National Post

What you need to know to understand air quality warnings in Canada

Article content What are the possible health impacts? Article content The immediate health impacts of poor air quality can include difficulty breathing, eye and throat irritation, cough, wheezing and chest tightness, and it can worsen any pre-existing symptoms of respiratory conditions, such as asthma. Article content When it comes to long-term impacts, there's still research to be done on the impact of exposure to wildfire smoke. However, preliminary results show 'an impact on lung function, a slight increased risk of lung cancer, brain tumours, potential increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and a potential effect on childhood development and developmental disorders of childhood,' said Green. Article content 'Wildfire smoke likely has negative health impacts on all body systems and we should avoid repeated and long term exposure,' said Green. Article content On July 14, until 11 a.m., Toronto had an AQHI of 10, meaning it was better to stay indoors, while in Halifax, the AQHI was 2, an ideal air quality for outdoor activities. Article content Article content The poor air quality in many parts of the country, like Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, was caused mainly by the forest fires over Northern Ontario and the Prairies. Article content 'An N95 mask will filter out a large portion of the particulate matter. It's not going to filter out those other air pollutants, like nitrogen dioxide and ozone and it's not a long term solution,' Green said. However, a surgical mask won't help, only an N95 worn correctly. Article content 'If someone must be outside and the AQHI is high, I would say, sure, yes, it will protect you if you wear an N95 mask,' said Green. Article content