on Wednesday, outdoor recreational activities and recesses were cancelled and some hospitals saw a small uptick in people experiencing shortness of breath and other symptoms as smoke from faraway forest fires made the air increasingly hazardous to breathe.
Some groups face higher health risks than others: people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung problems; people who are pregnant; children; and individuals with other underlying medical conditions. But wildfire smoke also contains high levels of fine particulate matter that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing inflammation.
Experts advise higher-risk individuals to take immediate steps to protect themselves when the risk level of the air quality health index increases. According to the index, levels of 4 to 6 are considered moderate risk and vulnerable individuals are urged to reduce or reschedule outdoor activities. Levels of 7 to 10 are considered high risk and anything above 10 is considered very high risk.