BBC Pidgin of Friday, 9 June 2023

Source: BBC

How Canada wildfire dey affect pipo beyond di kontri

Canada wildfire Canada wildfire

Hundreds of wildfires for Canada dey affect di air quality and health of millions of pipo, some wey no even dey live for Canada.

Smoke from di fire don travel very far distance, even reach New York City, for United States hundreds of miles to di south, wey now dey covered in hazy smoke.

Experts don warn say e dey "unhealthy" to breathe for di smoke and dem add say e fit dey dangerous to pipo wey already get breathing problems.

Di quality of di air dey very poor in some places wey be say dem tell pipo to avoid di smoke by closing dia windows and doors and make dem no come outside.

Dem go begin give Free face masks for New York on Thursday, and pipo for Canada dem advise dem to wear masks if dem dey go outdoors.

Schools across Washington DC cancel outdoor activities, animals for zoos for New York dem take dem indoors and flights across America either dey delayed or cancelled.

Wetin dey happun for Canada?

Canada don get more than 2,000 fires already for 2023, and scientists dey predict say dis year fit be di worst year for wildfires for di kontri o record.

Di fire don already burned 3.3 million hectares of land - wey be one area about di same size as a whole kontri like Belgium for north-western Europe.

Climate change na one of di reasons for di hot weather and lack of rainfall for Canada. E don create dry land conditions, wey dey cause wildfires.

A lot of di fire dem for Canada dey "out of control" and more than 100,000 pipo don leave dia homes for safety.

Wetin be wildfire smoke and how e dey harm pipo?

Smoke from wildfire fit spread far and fast. Di fire dem don cover some cities for Canada like Ontario and Quebec wit thick smoke. Some states for America too dey covered wit hazy smoke too.

Di smoke dey affect air pollution level. Wen dis dey high e fit affect pipo breathing and even hurt dia nose and eyes.

Breathing for inside dis kain smoke fit get long term effects on pipo health too, especially for those wey dey live for areas wey get lots of forest fires.

Health experts don tell pipo not to worry too much. To reduce di health problems from di smoke, dem tell pipo to wear a special mask outside, and try to stay indoors if dey fit.

Symptoms of smoke exposure?

Wildfire smoke fit irritate di eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

E fit cause:

- headache
- scratchy throat
- runny nose
- stinging eyes
- irritated sinuses
- wheezing and shortness of breath

To inhale am too fit make your heart to work harder, e go raise your pulse, and e fit sometimes cause chest pain, Prof Adams tok.

William Barrett from di American Lung Association say e get range of negative health effects from breathing in smoke, dust and fine particles.

"E fit go deep into our lungs and actually bypass most of di body defences and dem fit create a whole range of negative health consequences for di respiratory system," e tok. "But also these particles fit cross enta di bloodstream and actually affect your cardiovascular health."

Older pipo, pregnant women and young children, as well as those wit underlying health conditions, likr heart disease or asthma, dey more likely to get sick.

Even pesin wey dey healthy fit struggle if dem dey exposed to high levels too.