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Lavington air quality advisory issued, open burning restrictions in effect

Lavington is under advisory due to high concentrations of fine particulates.
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The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Lavington due to high concentrations of fine particulates. This is expected to persist until there is a change in current weather conditions.

Anyone with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted. Staying indoors and in air-conditioned spaces helps to reduce fine-particulate exposure. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, lung or heart disease.

Open burning restrictions are also now in effect for the area within 15 kilometres of the Lavington Fire Hall for the next two days. New fires may be initiated and no additional material may be added to existing fires.

Related: No open burning in RDNO areas B and C

For more information on burning restrictions, see the section below entitled ‘Mandatory Emission Reduction Actions.’

More information on current air quality can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air.

Tips to reduce your personal health risk:

  • Avoid roads with heavy vehicle traffic and areas with wood smoke.
  • Continue to control medical conditions such as asthma, chronic respiratory disease and heart failure. If symptoms continue to be bothersome, seek medical attention.
  • Maintaining good overall health is a good way to reduce health risks resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.

Additional tips for persons with chronic underlying medical conditions:

  • Stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and reduce indoor sources of pollution such as smoking, vacuuming and use of wood stoves.
  • Run an air cleaner. Some room air cleaners - such as HEPA filters - can help reduce indoor particulate levels, provided they are the right size for your home and filters are changed regularly.
  • Take shelter in air-conditioned buildings that have large indoor volumes and limited entry of outdoor air.

Mandatory Emission Reduction Actions:

  • As pollution may occur from open burning, the Director has suspended the exemption in the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation (Sections 2(i) and 4(2)(a)) that allows for open burning of debris to occur without a permit or approval from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. For the next two days, no new fires may be initiated in the area within a 15 kilometre radius from the Lavington Fire Hall and pursuant to Section 4(2)(c) of the Regulation, no additional material may be added to existing fires. Contravention of these provisions may be subject to a fine under the Regulation.

Voluntary emission reduction actions:

  • Avoid the use of wood stoves and fireplaces unless the sole source of residential heat.
  • Where wood stoves or fireplaces are the sole source of residential heat, use only CSA/EPA emissions approved wood-burning appliances and well-cured wood, and ensure an adequate supply of combustion air.
  • Follow local backyard burning bylaws.
  • Avoid backyard burning where a bylaw does not exist.
  • Reduce the use and idling of vehicles.

Additional information:

  • Fine particulate (PM2.5) concentrations are currently above advisory levels. Latest PM2.5 measurements at the Lavington station indicate an hourly average of 35 micrograms per cubic metre. The average for the past 24 hours is 56 micrograms per cubic metre, which exceeds the provincial air quality objective of 25 micrograms per cubic metre.
  • Sources of fine particulates contributing to this air quality episode include wood smoke (wood stoves and/or open burning), emissions from industry as well as transportation (such as automobiles, trucks and rail traffic).
  • Real-time air quality information from Lavington and other B.C. communities can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air.

Related: Air quality advisory ends in Vernon, continues in Lavington

Related: Air quality advisory continues in Vernon and Lavington

Related: North Okanagan air quality advisories issued

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