Alberta has endured some of the worst air quality in the world this week due to wildfire smoke
CBC
As wildfire smoke swirled, parts of Alberta have endured some of the worst air quality on the planet this week, in particular when it comes to fine particulate matter.
That's according to data tracked by the World Air Quality Index, a non-profit project that collects information from air monitoring stations around the globe.
"That very poor air quality now puts Alberta on the world map," meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal reported for The Weather Network, based on data from the index.
On Tuesday, Calgary's air quality hit a level of 539 on the index, which is well beyond the "very unhealthy" threshold and into the "hazardous" range.
"What does this mean? Well it means it's absolutely atrocious in terms of breathing conditions," Whittal said.
Readings from across the province meant Alberta had the "worst air quality in the entire world" on Tuesday, she added.
Since then, even higher readings have been recorded in Alberta, including an index level of 626 in Grande Prairie on Thursday at noon.
The index combines several kinds of air pollutants into a single measure, but the most prevalent in Alberta due to the wildfires is fine particulate matter.
Abbreviated as PM2.5, these are extremely tiny particles in the air — less than 2.5 microns in diameter. (A micron is one 1,000th of a millimetre.)
"Human hair is about 60 to 70 microns in diameter so a PM2.5 particle is roughly 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair," said Mandeep Dhaliwal, air quality program manager with the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone Society.
"So not only can you not see it, your body does not feel it either when you inhale it."
The Calgary Regional Airshed Zone Society monitors various pollutants at stations dispersed across the city.
Earlier this week, as wildfire smoke swept into Calgary, the PM2.5 readings at a southeast monitoring station surged into hazardous territory.
At 11 a.m on Tuesday, the level of fine particulate matter reached a level of 558 micrograms per cubic metre of air.
Hudson's Bay Company filed for creditor protection last week, saying it's struggling to pay landlords, vendors and employees — and it's a process that could lead to the sale or closure of Canada's oldest company.
Still sleepy from this week's time change?
RCMP say a man died while in police custody on Wednesday in downtown Yellowknife, and Alberta RCMP are investigating the incident.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal officials left an hours-long meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying they feel more positive about the Canada-U.S. trading relationship after weeks of bad blood and heated rhetoric.
The Alberta government wants to cut more than $400 million in the fees it pays to doctors, according to a confidential memo obtained by The Canadian Press.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says Canada's incoming prime minister needs to immediately and urgently negotiate a way to avoid China's planned tariffs on Canadian canola — even before an election call.
A judge has sentenced a 48-year-old man to life in prison for brutally stabbing his ex-wife and daughter to death in North York in 2022.
Ontario is seeing a massive surge in measles cases as an ongoing outbreak spreads in the province among mostly unvaccinated people.
Prince Edward Island's Affordable Housing Development Program fell short of its intended purpose, the province's Auditor General says.
Not even cracking open a cold one is safe from tariffs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a farewell message to Canadians Thursday as he marks his last full day in office.
The Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs says about 80 per cent of volunteer firefighters in the territory are wearing expired protective equipment, putting them in danger and in violation of occupational health and safety regulations when they respond to emergencies.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will be given a new portfolio in Mark Carney's cabinet, a source with knowledge of the decision told Radio-Canada.