CBC Lite Sections News • Canada • Calgary Wildfire smoke prompts air quality warnings for Calgary and surrounding areas Kelsea Arnett | CBC News | Posted: July 24, 2026 3:13 PM | Last Updated: 6 hours ago City's air quality at highest risk level Friday morning Image | IMG_5341 Caption: Downtown Calgary is just barely visible after wildfire smoke from British Columbia blanketed the city and the surrounding area on Friday, prompting a poor air quality alert from Environment and Climate Change Canada. (Mike Symington/CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Wildfire smoke from fires burning in British Columbia settled over Calgary and surrounding areas Friday morning, prompting warnings of unsafe air quality. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued an "orange" alert for poor air quality in Calgary and surrounding communities, such as Airdrie and Banff. Heat warnings are also in effect for the southern and east-central regions of the province. According to the federal Air Quality Health Index, Calgary's air quality hit the highest risk level at 10-plus, posing a very high risk. Airdrie and Red Deer were also rated as very high risk. Janelle Gergely, a meteorologist with ECCC, said smoke levels became elevated Thursday evening and quickly escalated overnight. "We're anticipating levels to drop as the upper winds shift," she said. "That's going to cut off the source of smoke. However, we're still going to have lingering smoke in the area that will take some time to disperse." Forecasting models from FireSmoke Canada, a University of British Columbia project tracking wildfire weather, show the haze drifting east from B.C. More than 80 wildfires are active in the province, including a large wildfire complex near Boston Bar, which has prompted evacuation orders. Embed | Weather alerts in Canada Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. __________________________________________________________ Gergely added some of the smoke may also be drifting from the northwestern United States, where several wildfires are burning. ECCC issues orange alerts when severe weather is widespread and likely to cause significant damage, disruption or health impacts that may last a few days. While conditions are expected to improve for Calgary and other affected areas over the weekend, Gergely said smoke is difficult to forecast due to how quickly wildfires can shift. "Smoke forecasting is very challenging because you're not only forecasting the weather, but you're also forecasting that fire behaviour," she said. "It's really hard to do any long-term forecast if you're not sure what the fire itself is going to do." Coping with smoke Anj Reddivari started to feel the effects of the smoke as it rolled in on Thursday while he was playing pickleball outdoors. "I was really feeling very heavy in my chest, and the smoke was getting into my lungs, and then I could feel it in the air," he said. Wildfire smoke has become a recognized part of the summer, he added — so much so he feels his body has become acclimatized to it. "I think, you know, your body kind of accepts it and then you just move on," he said. Image | IMG_5337 Caption: (Mike Symington/CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Mandeep Dhaliwal, the air quality program manager for the non-profit Calgary Region Airshed Zone, said one of the biggest risks of smoke is particulate matter (PM) known as PM 2.5. * Migraine-related hospital visits spike during periods of wildfire smoke, Canadian study finds The pollutant's inhalable particles are less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, he said, roughly 30 times smaller than the diameter of human hair. "The particle is so small it makes it all the way through to your lungs, and from there it can get into your bloodstream," Dhaliwal said. ECCC is advising people to limit their time outdoors and cancel or postpone outdoor activities to avoid the potential health risks of prolonged smoke exposure. Heritage Park announced through social media on Friday that its Historical Village and all outdoor attractions are closed due to the poor air quality. The smoke is also wreaking havoc on the Calgary Minor Soccer Association's finals weekend, said executive director Carlo Bruneau. He said there are 92 games scheduled over the weekend, but it might have to resort to coin flips or the existing standings to decide matches if conditions do not improve. "But we really want to avoid that reality and give the kids the opportunity that they've been working so hard for all season," Bruneau said. The Calgary Folk Music Festival, however — which got underway on Thursday — said in a statement it is not considering postponing or cancelling performances, and will continue to monitor air quality levels. The zoo also remains open, but officials said in a statement it is closely monitoring its animals, especially the birds, who are more sensitive to poor air quality. How to stay safe Residents in affected areas are urged to stay indoors as much as possible, with windows and doors shut. When extreme heat conditions are coupled with poor air quality, however, ECCC advises prioritizing keeping cool first. Using high quality air filters can also help limit exposure indoors. People more likely to be affected by wildfire smoke include those aged 65 and older, infants or young children, those who are pregnant or who have an existing medical condition. For those who must be outdoors, ECCC recommends wearing a respiratory mask and avoiding strenuous activity. * How to beat the heat? Ask a Hatter Mild and common symptoms of smoke exposure include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms is urged to seek medical assistance right away. Corrections: * A previous version of this story incorrectly described the size of PM 2.5's inhalable particles. They are less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. 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