Air Quality in Several States, including Iowa Impacted by Wildfires in Canada

Over the past month, smoke from wildfires in Canada have been impacting the air quality in the United States. Several states including Washington, Montana, Nebraska and Wisconsin issued air quality alerts in May due to smoke pollution coming from wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. Last week New York City was covered in a thick orange haze caused by smoke from in Quebec and Nova Scotia, making the air dangerous to breathe and disrupting life as far south as Washington D.C. This week, the wildfire smoke is hitting the Upper Midwest, affecting the air quality in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The haze was noticeable across Iowa today, from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Dubuque. Hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Canada due to drought conditions, record breaking heat and below average rainfall and strong winds.

Kwōjeḷā ke kwōn ta ñe enana mejatoto kōn baat?

Kadikḷọk aṃ kepaak baat jān kijeek ko reḷap ilo aṃ kadikḷọk iien aṃ pād inabōj im kadikḷọk aṃ ṃakūtkūt ko inabōj. Kwōmaroñ barāinwōt kōṇaake N95 ak KN95 ñan kalibobo mejaṃ ñan bōbrae menin jidik jān baat eo. Ekwōn an kilōk im ewōr air condition. Kōṃṃane A/C eo ñan karoolole mejatoto, ilo iien aṃ pād ṃweo imōṃ ak iloan wa eo waaṃ. Kadikḷọk men ko jet rej kōmman baat im būñal iloan em āinwōt jikka, kandel, kiaj, propane, im vaccum. Ñe ewōr aṃ nañinmij in menono ak ār ak nañinmij in emenono āinwōt orḷọk, ḷoor rōjañ eo an taktō eo aṃ kōn wāwein aṃ bōbrae im kōṃadṃōd kakōlkōl kein.Elukuun aorōk ñan kadikḷọk joñan baat eo kwōj emenonoiki. Emaroñ kadikḷọk uwōta in ājmour ilo iien ewōr iien an baat.

Lale jekjekin joñan erreo in mejatoto an tōrre eo. Lale kōjjeḷā ko ipelaakiṃ ñan pukot joñan erreo in mejatoto an tōrre eo.

You can find more information about community wildfire preparedness translated into Marshallese by the Oregon Health Authority in reponse to the 2020 Oregon wildfire season, one of the most destructive on record in the state of Oregon.

Kōjjeḷā:

Smoke particles in the air can cause: headaches, stinging eyes, runny nose, irritated sinuses, scratchy throat, coughing, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, and fast heartbeat.

Wildfire smoke presents special health risks for people with lung and heart conditions, pregnant women, children and older adults.