Poor air quality response activated today |
July 20, 2026
The City of Edmonton is activating its extreme weather response for poor air quality to protect vulnerable people during high-risk conditions expected over the coming days. The activation begins immediately and is expected to end on Wednesday, July 22 at 9 a.m. The response may be extended if poor air quality conditions continue.
Please note an extreme heat activation is also anticipated for Wednesday, July 22 at 9 a.m.
The poor air quality response is activated when the Air Quality Health Index is forecast to reach a score of seven or higher for at least two days in a row.
Poor air quality supports
- Open City facilities, including libraries, pools and recreation centres, are available throughout the summer for anyone who needs relief from the smoke. Please note, transit centres and LRT stations do not provide relief from poor air quality because most of these facilities are exposed to the outside air and do not have controlled indoor climates.
- Free bottled water and N95 masks are available for pickup at City facilities throughout the summer. Visit edmonton.ca/ExtremeWeather for a complete list of locations.
How you can help
To reduce health risks and help others during periods of poor air quality, residents are encouraged to take the following actions:
- Reduce exposure to the smoke by keeping windows and doors closed in buildings and vehicles as much as possible.
- Check on older family members, friends and neighbours.
- If you are concerned about someone outside in the smoke, please call:
- 211 and press 3 for the 24/7 Crisis Diversion team. They can assist individuals who may be in distress and provide transportation to social service agencies.
- 911 if someone is in serious distress or in cases of emergency.
- Learn the symptoms and health risks of smoke exposure by visiting the Alberta Health Services website.
Stay in the know
Sign up for the City of Edmonton’s extreme weather mailing list to receive email updates on activations, extensions and deactivations related to extreme cold, heat and poor air quality.
Sector Emergency Response
The City’s extreme weather response supplements existing measures implemented by the Sector Emergency Response group, a collaboration of more than 25 agencies working to keep Edmonton’s most vulnerable people safe during adverse weather conditions.
The extreme weather response implements City Policy C620 to ensure the
health and safety of all Edmontonians, particularly those vulnerable to severe weather. |
For more information:
Media contact:
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City of Edmonton Edmonton Tower, 10111 104 Avenue, Edmonton, T5J 0J4 Unsubscribe |
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