The heat dome is causing a degradation of the air quality in BC.

Ground-level ozone forms nitrogen oxides, a pollutant created by burning fuels, and volatile organic compounds that come from solvents when the temperature is very high and the air is stagnant. .

The region is also experiencing a higher level of haze, possibly caused by secondary particle formation, the statement said, adding that fine particle levels remain above ambient air quality targets.

Based on air quality index for British Columbia, central Fraser Valley, Fort St. John’s, Victoria, West Shore as well as the northeast and southeast of the metropolitan area in Vancouver have moderate risk air quality.

Adverse health effects

Poor air quality can have health effects, according to Sarah Henderson, scientific director of environmental health at the BC Center for Disease Control.

It affects people with asthma and lung disease, but that’s not all. A person may go outside and realize that they have difficulty breathing, and their throat and lungs are sore. It’s because of the ozone, she explains.

Henderson recommends that people suffering from the effects of ozone and those dealing with extreme heat limit their activities outdoors during this time and rest.

The heat is not a personal challenge to overcome. It is an environmental factor that must be respected. If our body tells us that it is too hot, that it does not feel well, we must not push it, we must respect it, she emphasizes.