Seniors in Western Canada and Alaska should be mindful of wildfires

Elderly residents of independent living communities in the Yukon Territory and Alaska may wish to stay inside for the next several days as wildfires in Canada continue to burn, releasing smoke that can hamper lung function.

"Anyone noticing it that is extra sensitive should take it easy and stay inside,"

  Cindy Dettmer-Shea, a meteorologist at Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation, told the Juneau Empire.

Firefighting officials in the nearby Yukon Territory are saying that the high temperatures have left more than 60 fires still ablaze in Western Canada, and they let them "burn naturally" which can cause them to grow larger and give off more smoke before eventually dying, George Maratos, Yukon Territory fire information officer told the newspaper.

A more long-term issue is being noted in Fairbanks, where air quality measures are detecting increasing levels of Zinc, according to the News-Miner.

Many car dealerships and repair shops burn waste oil to heat their offices during the winter, and seniors may want to limit their outdoor activities until the borough government comes up with an environmental plan to deal with exposure to the particulate contamination, reported the news provider.

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