A phone app has been launched by the Wood Buffalo Environment Association to track odours across the region.
Community members can download the app and report information about the smells they experience like smoke, fuel or other scents in general.
Emilie Briggs Air Program Coordinator for the WBEA says since scent is a very personal experience, there is no equipment that can be used.
“We’re just trying to get more information about the odours that people experience so that then we can see if there’s any relationships or trends in terms of the ambient air monitoring data that we collect at our stations.”
When someone reports an odour through the app the WBEA can then compare the odour to ambient air monitoring data.
“Ambient air quality is important wherever you go because the ambient air quality has ramifications on people’s health. So we have ambient air monitoring stations all throughout the RMWB, we have them as far north as Fort Chipewyan and as far south as Conklin.”
She adds if you’re concerned about the air quality all of the data is updated hourly on their website.
The WBEA ran a pilot project in 2014. At that time, it involved volunteers from the community that were trained to detect odours and then asked to submit information about the smells they experienced. The program was redesigned this year to include an app so that everyone can participate in hopes of getting enough data.
The app can be found on the app portion of the WBEA website.
