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20260328-aqwarning-issue
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---
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author:
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- Muntaseer Azkar
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authors:
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- Muntaseer Azkar
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burnRestrictions: 0
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bylaw: false
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date: 2026-03-28
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ice: Continue
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location: Golden
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params:
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aqMet: Sakshi Jain
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burnRestrictionEndDate: 2025-09-28
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burnRestrictionEndTime: "12:00 PM"
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burnRestrictions: 0
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ice: Issue
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issuedate: 2025-07-20
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location: Prince George
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nextUpdate: 2025-09-28
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outputFormat: markdown
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pollutant: PM25 & PM10
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pollutant: PM10
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title: Air quality warning in effect for Golden
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toc-title: Table of contents
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type: local_emissions
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---
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<!--
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Copyright 2025 Province of British Columbia
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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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-->
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<!-- Logo header, the layout-col should be set based on number of logos including FHNA and BCGov -->
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<!-- the trailing slash means the text in square brackets is alt text -->
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::: {layout-ncol= 3 layout-valign="bottom"}
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![Government of British Columbia logo](/assets/logo_BCID_V_RGB_pos.png)\
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![First Nations Health Authority logo](/assets/logo_FNHA.png)\
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![Interior Health Authority logo](/assets/logo_IH.png)\
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:::
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The Ministry of Environment and Parks in collaboration with the Interior
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Health Authority issued an Air Quality Warning for Golden on March 27,
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2026. The warning remains in effect due to elevated coarse particulate
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matter.
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Exposure to coarse particulate matter is particularly a concern for
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infants, older adults, individuals with chronic conditions (such as
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asthma, COPD, heart disease, and diabetes) or respiratory infections,
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and those who are pregnant. Persons with chronic underlying medical
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conditions or acute infections should postpone or reduce strenuous
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exercise until the warning is ended. Anyone experiencing symptoms such
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as continuing eye or throat irritation, chest discomfort, shortness of
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breath, cough or wheezing, should follow the advice of their health care
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provider. Staying indoors helps to reduce exposure.
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Current conditions are expected to persist until weather conditions
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change and/or local emissions are reduced.
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The next update will be on March 29, 2026 and posted to the province's
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[Air Quality Warnings webpage](https://www.gov.bc.ca/airquality).
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Visit the provincial [air quality data
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webpage](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air/air-quality)
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for real-time observations.
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## Actions you can take
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As air contaminant levels increase, health risks increase. Consider
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reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.
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People more likely to be negatively impacted by outdoor air pollution
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should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors or seek
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medical attention if experiencing symptoms. This includes people aged 65
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and older, pregnant individuals, infants and young children, people with
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an existing illness or chronic health condition such as chronic
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obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes, and
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people who work outdoors.
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{{< accordion_controls >}}
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{{< accordion_start title="Follow your common sense" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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- Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes
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uncomfortable or you feel unwell.
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- Always carry any rescue medications with you.
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- Make sure that children and others who cannot care for themselves
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follow the same advice.
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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{{< accordion_start title="Monitor your symptoms" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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- Different people have different responses to elevated levels of air
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contaminants.
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- Mild irritation and discomfort such as eye, nose and throat
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irritation, headaches or a mild cough are common, and usually
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disappear when the air contaminants return to typical levels.
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- More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains
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or severe cough.
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- People with asthma or other chronic illness should follow any
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personal care plans designed with their family physicians.
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- If you are unsure whether you need medical care, call HealthLink BC
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at 8-1-1.
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- If you are experiencing difficulty in breathing, chest pain or
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discomfort, or a severe cough, contact your physician, walk-in
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clinic, or emergency department. If you are having a medical
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emergency, call 9-1-1.
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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{{< accordion_start title="Tips to reduce your exposure to air pollution" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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- Air contaminant levels may be lower indoors but will still be
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elevated, so stay aware of your symptoms even when you are indoors.
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- When indoors, keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
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- Protect your indoor air from outdoor air pollution. Actions can
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include using a clean, good quality air filter in your ventilation
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system and/or a certified portable air cleaner that can filter fine
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particles. Do-it-yourself air cleaners may also be used if other
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options are unavailable. For more details, see the BC Centre of
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Control [fact
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sheet](https://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Guidelines%20and%20Forms/Guidelines%20and%20Manuals/Health-Environment/BCCDC_WildFire_FactSheet_BoxFanAirFilters.pdf).
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- If you must spend time outdoors, a well-constructed, well-fitting
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and properly worn respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH-certified
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N95 or equivalent respirator) can reduce your exposure to
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particulate matter. Even though exposure may be reduced, there can
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still be risks to health.
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- Avoid roads with heavy vehicle traffic and areas with wood smoke.
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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## Emission reduction actions
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{{< accordion_start title="Mandatory actions" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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- Facilities with air discharge authorizations under the Environmental
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Management Act are required to follow trigger actions within their
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permit related to Air Quality Warnings and are encouraged to reduce
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any other emissions where possible.
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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{{< accordion_start title="Voluntary actions" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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- Avoid driving on the road shoulder or other areas where road
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traction material has accumulated.
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- When cleaning driveways and parking lots, lightly wet the area
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before sweeping. Avoid using leaf blowers to clean up dirt during
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spring clean up.
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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## More information
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{{< accordion_start title="Current conditions" initiallyOpen="true" >}}
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Coarse particulate matter refers to airborne solid or liquid droplets
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with diameters between 2.5 and 10 micrometers (μm). Together with fine
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particulate matter (airborne solid or liquid droplets with diameters of
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2.5 μm or less), these particles are referred to as PM~10~. Sources of
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PM~10~ contributing to this air quality episode include road dust from
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the emission of winter traction material along busy and dry road
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surfaces. PM~10~ can easily penetrate indoors because of their small
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size.
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The current dusty conditions are caused by road traffic stirring up
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winter traction materials that have accumulated on roadways over the
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past winter.
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The provincial air quality objective for PM~10~ is 50 micrograms per
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cubic metre (μg/m^3^), averaged over 24 hours. 24-hour average PM~10~
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concentrations are summarized below for Golden and nearest monitored
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communities at 11:00 AM local time today:
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::: {.table-responsive}
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Community Golden Castlegar Elkford Sparwood
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------------------------- -------- ----------- --------- ----------
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24-hr average (μg/m^3^) 55.0 14.8 19.6 40.3
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:::
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{{< accordion_end >}}
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**For additional information about air quality in British Columbia:**
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::: bcds-card-wrapper
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{{< card_start title="Air Quality Health Index" variant="info" logo="/assets/icon_air.svg" >}}
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Provincial summary of latest index and forecast.
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[What's the air like
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today?](https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/data/aqhi-table.html)
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{{< card_end >}}
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{{< card_start title="Provincal Air Quality Map" variant="info" logo="/assets/icon_air.svg" >}}
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Provincial air quality data refreshed every hour.
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[Latest air quality
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data](https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/readings/find-stations-map.html)
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{{< card_end >}}
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{{< card_start title="Metro Vancouver Air Quality" variant="success" logo="/assets/icon_chart.svg" >}}
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Warnings and a map of air quality and weather data.
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[Air quality data and
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warnings](https://metrovancouver.org/services/air-quality-climate-action/air-quality-data-and-advisories)
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{{< card_end >}}
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:::
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## Contact
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**Media questions regarding this Air Quality Warning:**
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{{< card_start width="wide" >}}
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Muntaseer Azkar`<br />`{=html}Air Quality
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Meteorologist`<br />`{=html}Ministry of Environment and
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Parks`<br />`{=html}604-558-9508
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{{< card_end >}}
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**Media questions regarding health implications when air quality is
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degraded:** {{< card_start width="wide" >}}
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Interior Health Authority`<br />`{=html}Media line:
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1-844-469-7077`<br />`{=html}Email:
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media@interiorhealth.ca`<br />`{=html}
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{{< card_end >}}

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