Air quality and physical activity: how to stay active when it’s smoky

It worked, but it did leave me pondering once again: how can you safely stay active outdoors, when it’s smoky? 

How do you stay active when the air is smoky?

First, check the AQHI. To summarize, the guidelines for activity and air quality according to Environment Canada are: 

AQHI 1-3: low risk 
Guidance: safe for everyone

AQHI 4-6: moderate risk 
Guidance: generally OK but higher risk groups* should exercise caution

AQHI 7-10: high risk  
Guidance: everyone should reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activity 

AQHI > 10: very high risk 
Guidance: avoid all strenuous outdoor activity

You can check air quality for your area here.

* At an AQHI of 4 or above, the elderly, children and those with sensitivities or underlying conditions (allergies, asthma, heart or lung conditions) may want to take precautions or avoid outdoor activity.

Big caveat to all of this: sometimes the Air Quality Health Index, or AQHI, is simply too high and you shouldn’t be outdoors at all if possible, much less exercising outside. 

What are some of the best ways to manage smoke exposure?

Four ways to reduce your exposure when exercising during reduced air quality periods, due to smoke, include: head to well-treed areas, choose non-peak periods, reduce intensity and travel to areas of lower risk. 

1. Spend more time in tree-dense areas 

One thing I noticed on my bike ride was how much fresher the air seemed in dense tree cover, along the river valley and ravines in Edmonton. That’s anecdotal, but it’s backed by science.

2. Go out at lower emission times of day

Usually, early morning and later evening, when there is less traffic, air quality improves as fewer vehicles are creating emissions. This helps improve air quality even if smoke is the primary source.

3. Reduce your intensity, shorten outings

If the above tactics aren’t enough, you can reduce the intensity of your activities or the duration. Not ideal, obviously, but as in my bike ride example, it will help reduce the impact on your lungs. 

At the end of the day you have to decide if the trade off to be outside, doing something active, is worth the risk based on the air quality index. Alternately, maybe this is the time to hit the climbing gym or indoor pool.

4. Travel to less smoky areas

Check the air quality radar maps, and sometimes you’ll find that there are places with lower concentrations of smoke or poor air quality within two to three hours. 

Of course, you need to also consider how your choice to travel impacts air quality, and whether there are any local travel advisories or evacuation alerts so you’re not in the path of escape, contributing to congestion. 

But if you’re getting away from the smoke, you’re also likely getting away from wildfire threats. Just research before you go.

Know before you go

Typically you can check Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index report for your area to get a forecast. 

However, as ZenSeekers ambassador Tyler Dixon notes, sometimes rural areas don’t have a local forecast and rely on urban reports. For that, check Purple Air.

If you plan to travel, no judgment, but to reduce your contributions to lowering air quality, consider carbon offsets. Here’s an quick intro to how they work and why use them.