The Old Church in Smithers was packed with residents hearing a presentation from an expert panel on air quality in town this week
Provincial officials, the centre for disease control and other data collection experts presented information on how wood smoke not only affects respiratory health but can contribute to heart problems.
Mayor Taylor Bachrach says council needs the political will to implement policy to clean up the air.
“What I heard tonight is there’s a real interest from the community in taking it to the next level and try to get our air quality to within the Canadian standards for particulate -which right now we’re exceeding,” says Bachrach. “We need to have greater awareness in the community about the health impacts of wood smoke to our bodies…with that I think there will be a more positive attitude towards change.”
An attitude that might not be there, according to a recent wood burning appliance survey of the town showing that more people thinks there nothing wrong with air quality in town than do.
The experts from the university of British Columbia, Centre for Disease Control, the province and data collectors on the quality of Smithers air couldn’t say how much of a problem wood stoves are, but indicated they’re a contributing factor.
Bachrach says there’s no appetite in town for an all out ban of wood heat, understanding that it’s an affordable source in winter.
Residents at the forum were also concerned with industrial open burning and plumes of smoke that have sometimes covered the town.
The province indicates that ‘open burning of vegetation is the largest source of fine particulate matter pollution in B.C., as well as a significant source of other air
pollutants.’