The agency says wildfire smoke is the primary reason for the poor weather conditions.
Officials say there are 77 active wildfires in Alberta and 82 in B.C. and many of those are close enough to Calgary to have a serious impact on air quality."Continue to take actions to protect your health and reduce exposure to smoke. People with lung disease or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke.
The agency also advises residents to cancel outdoor activities if anyone in their group is exhibiting shortness of breath, wheezing, severe coughing, dizziness or chest pains."Keep your indoor air clean. Keep your doors and windows closed if the temperature in your home is comfortable," it said. "Use an air purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air filter in a room where you spend a lot of time. Avoid air purifiers that produce ozone. Check the filter and change it if required."
Calgary's air quality health index reached 10 on Sunday and while Monday's forecast is looking a bit better, conditions could become much worse as the week rolls on.