District of Squamish opens clean air shelter at Brennan Park Recreation Centre 

The District of Squamish is following the Vancouver Coastal Health recommendation of providing a clean air shelter with filtered air to support Squamish residents during the current air quality advisory due to wildfire smoke. The shelter will be located inside the Brennan Park Recreation Centre Stawamus Chief Activity Room, accessible from the arena entrance on the East side of the building, and open on Thursday, September 17 from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, September 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and September 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

“We recognize that there are individuals in our community without the means to create clean air spaces within their own homes and are more vulnerable to the health-related impacts of wildfire smoke,” says District of Squamish Mayor Karen Elliott. “We want all members of our community to feel like they have a space to find relief while the current air quality conditions persist, particularly those struggling with chronic or respiratory illnesses.” 

The District is following the BC Centre For Disease Control guidance for community cooling centres in the context of COVID-19 and will adhere to all hygiene, cleaning and ventilation protocols. 

Visitors will be required to maintain a 2-metre physical distance at all times and mask wearing will be encouraged. Space will be limited. If the facility is full, patrons will be asked to return at a later time. 

For more information on how to reduce your health risk, and to view the latest air quality health index values visit airhealth.ca.

For the latest Environment Canada forecasts and weather warnings, visit https://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=02&siteID=06400.

Fast Facts: 

• Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of air pollutants that can trigger inflammation and contribute to conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart problems. 
• Wildfire smoke can increase the risk of some infections, such as ear infections in children. 
• People with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes, as well as the elderly, pregnant women, infants, and young children are more likely to experience health effects of wildfire smoke.
• Wildfire smoke exposure and COVID-19 can have similar symptoms such as a dry cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms such as fever or chills, muscle or body aches, and diarrhea are not related to smoke exposure. Use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to check your symptoms: https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en.
• If you are experiencing difficulty breathing or chest pain, please call 9-1-1.