Smoky air creates daily dilemma for Sask. parents of young children

Lindsay McDowell woke up to a familiar conundrum in Saskatoon on Wednesday morning:was it too smoky for her three-year-old son, Sutter, to go outside?

Environment and Climate Canada (ECCC) was describing smoky conditions around the city, with temperatures expected to get into the low 30s. The air quality index described the city's air quality as "moderate" the level at which people are advised to begin limiting their time outside.

Making the call during days like these, McDowell said, is "hard."

"You smell and you taste and if it starts getting too smoky you kind of just say, OK, let's go home and take a break," she said.

"And there are some days where it's too bad, you go outside and turn around and go right back in."

Threat to 'the very young'

Smoke from western wildfires has hovered over parts of Saskatchewan for weeks, coming both from fires inside of the province and from larger blazes in Alberta and British Columbia.

"The real people that struggle with wildfire smoke are the elderly, the very young, and people with compromised respiratory systems," said Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with ECCC.

"It's incumbent on people in those sorts of risk groups and for parents and caregivers to be aware, to be more cognizant of what's potentially out there."

Health and climate experts advise keeping one eye on the Air Quality Health Index, which is updated twice daily.

When levels creep past moderate, or especially if air quality risk is deemed high,the suggestion is to stay inside and limit ways that smoke can enter your home. If that's not possible, reach for a fitted N95 mask.

Children with lung conditions are particularly vulnerable, as was illustrated tragically in B.C. last yearwhen a nine-year-old boy died from an asthma attackhis parents say was severely worsened by wildfire smoke.

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'We make it work'

Days where the air quality is deemed moderate often present the most difficult decisions toparents.

Most Saskatoon parents who spoke with CBC, like McDowell, try to hit a balance between staying indoors when necessary and getting outside for more traditional summer fun, like swims and trips to the park.

"It doesn't look as bad as it was yesterday, so I'd be fine with an hour or two [outside]" said Jessica Hertz, who has two children under the age of two, on Wednesday. "It's hard to stay inside with a toddler all the time so you have to kind of see what you can do."

"Yeah, it's frustrating, but we make it work," said Matthew Schneider, who spent a few summer hours with his infant son at an art gallery on Wednesday.

"Once the smoke goes down, we can go back outside."