Reports
Current Air Quality
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is measured at Valemount Firehall by the Province of British Columbia. Data are updated every hour. Click the button below to view current data as well as the past 30 days.
UNBC air quality map: AQmap The University of British Columbia publishes an air quality map of low-cost sensors that estimate PM2.5 concentrations. While these sensors are less accurate than regulatory monitors operated by the province, due to their low cost, it is possible to deploy large networks of sesors. These sensors can be useful in certain circumstances such as tracking wildfire smoke or identifying community or regional ‘hot spots’.
About air quality advisories
An air quality advisory is issued when pollutant concentrations approach or exceed predetermined limits, or when degraded-air-quality episodes are expected to continue or worsen.
Advisories are issued in order to:
- Inform about degraded air quality
- Help people make informed choices about reducing their exposure to elevated concentrations of air pollutants
- Affect emission reduction actions (such as a limit on industrial emissions or wood stove use)
- Provide vulnerable individuals and the general public with health advice developed by BC health agencies
The Smoky Skies Bulletin
Is a special type of public advisory to communicate the rapidly changing nature of wildfire smoke. It is issued when areas of the province are being impacted or have reasonable potential to be impacted by wildfire smoke within 24 to 48 hours. These bulletins are based on available pollutant concentrations information, satellite information, smoke forecast models and visual observations, and are not intended to manage local emission sources.
Be in the know!
Air Quality Notifications
During poor air quality episodes, two types of public notifications can be issued: Air Quality Advisories and Smoky Skies Bulletins. Notifications issued for Valemount are jointly issued by the B.C. Ministry of Enviroment and Climate Change Canada, Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority. The notifications
- Inform the public about degraded air quality.
- Support the public to make informed choices about reducing their exposure to elevated levels of pollutants.
- Identify periods when emission reduction actions are important (or required).
Air Quality Advisories
Are issued when local sources of pollution result in degraded air quality and the conditions are expected to presist or worsen. For PM2.5, advisories are considered when the 24-hour average exceeds the provincial 24-hour average exceeds the provincial 24-hour ambient air quality objective (25 µg m-3).
Smoky Skies Bulletin
Is a special type of public advisory that is specific to wildfire smoke. Regions of the province that are currently impacted or have reasonable potential to be impacted by wildfire smoke within 24 to 48 hours are issued the bulletin. The bulletin is updated daily during the wildfire season. Valemount is located within the Yellowhead region.
To be notified by email or text when an Air Quality advisory or Smoky Skies Bulletin in Valemount has been issued or ends, subscribe to the provincial air quality subscription service.
Air Zone Reports
The province publishes summary air quality reports each year based on air zones. Each report describes the management level assigned to an air zone based on air quality measured in that zone. Valemount is included in the Central Interior Air Zone report.
BC Lung State of the Air Reports
BC Lung’s State of the Air Reports provide a snapshop of key air quality issues across the province.
Summart statistics from the Valemount air quality station are included in the annual reports.
Village of Valemount Air Quality Data Review
To understand the contribution of the drawdown zone of the Kinbasket Reservoir to air quality in the community, and to potential impacts, the Village of Valemount engaged Hemmera Envirochem In. (Hemmera) to conduct a detailed review of available air quality monitoring data along with other ancillary information including meteorological data and reservoir data levels. Their findings found that during the 14 probable dust events over a span of 7 years, one-hour PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were short-term lasting one to two hours in duration and the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations remain below the numerical values of the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards.