Nova Scotia’s top doctor urging caution as wildfire smoke impacts air quality

Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is asking residents in the province impacted by wildfire smoke to take caution and protect themselves.

“There is no safe level of exposure to wildfire smoke,” said Dr. Robert Strang. “Everybody has some level of health risk, is higher for small children, women who are pregnant, the elderly, people with underlying significant lung or heart disease.”

Dr. Strang says when you can see and smell smoke, that means the local air quality is being impacted, adding people should take measures to limit their outdoor activity.

Strang recommends keeping your indoor air as clean as possible by closing windows and doors. He says you can run your air conditioning but recommends keeping your fresh air intake closed and cleaning your filter.

Strang says if you are in a medical emergency, you can call 911 or 811 for specific health advice.