Canada: Air quality has dropped to very low levels

The province of Alberta is struggling to breathe due to massive wildfires in western Canada. As current studies show, fires have devastating effects on flora and fauna—and people in cities feel the effects, too. Research shows that Alberta has higher and more concentrated levels of airborne particles than some of the most polluted places on Earth.

It is a non-profit project that collects data from air monitoring stations around the world based on data from the World Air Quality Index.

“This poor air quality is now putting Alberta on the world map,” meteorologist Jacqueline Whittle told Canadian media.

Experts report “significant problems” with breathing. The world’s worst air values ​​were temporarily measured on Tuesday, particularly in the metropolitan areas of Calgary and Grande Prairie.

Although air quality is slowly improving again, photos from Calgary this week show massive dust pollution in the city of millions. The Alberta provincial government evacuated thousands of people from affected areas.