In 2023, Carter Vigh, a nine-year-old boy, was found dead after his asthma attack was triggered by smoke from wildfires. His passing came during what has been documented as the most calamitous wildfire season in British Columbia’s chronicles. More than 25,000 square kilometers of forest burned in the spring of 2016 alone, sending toxic plumes thousands of kilometers across the province and profoundly degrading air quality. This devastating incident has ignited a movement to enhance air quality monitoring in rural communities, led by Carter’s family and supported by health organizations.
Carter’s mother, Amber Vigh, has emerged as a vocal advocate for change, citing her son’s death as a catalyst for improving air quality monitoring across British Columbia. “We checked the air quality on our phone, not knowing that our closest air quality monitor was a hundred kilometers away,” she shared. She emphasized the need for localized data: “If we had real-time accurate air quality monitors … we might have stayed inside instead.”
The Impact of Wildfire Smoke
Unfortunately, the 2023 wildfire season claimed the life of teenager Carter Vigh. Beyond that, it contributed to an appalling increase in health hazards from dangerous air pollution. Canadian wildfire smoke this year alone has contributed to 5,400 acute deaths. Moreover, it is responsible for at least 82,100 premature deaths globally. Local health officials have been cautioning residents to limit activity when smoke is present. They suggest avoiding prolonged outdoor activities and making indoor spaces more smoke-free.
Chris Carlsten, director of the University of British Columbia’s Air Pollution Exposure Laboratory. He’s using that data like a historian, epidemiologist and lawyer to hit the roots of inequity in air quality. He highlights the severity of the situation: “It’s actually worse for the lungs than traditional traffic-related pollution.” His research highlights the need for better, more innovative monitoring systems that deliver real-time hyperlocal data.
With these numbers in mind, specialists such as Sarah Henderson are placing increased focus on indoor air quality. If we’re successful in having clean indoor air, 90 percent of our health is protected, she said. As she cautions, the health impacts are much more than just direct deaths. When we’re talking about deaths, we’re taking the very tip of the iceberg of those health impacts,” she said.
Community Initiatives for Change
Amber Vigh and her family are fighting back against these alarming health issues. Together, they’ve partnered with the B.C. Lung Foundation to bring personal air quality monitoring devices to B.C.’s rural communities. In particular, they are targeting communities such as 70 Mile House, who have already started to get access to these critical building blocks of healthy communities. The initiative aims to provide locals with real-time air quality data to help them make informed decisions about outdoor activities during hazardous conditions.
Carter’s family, joined by the B.C. Lung Foundation, Together, they are monitoring the monitoring gaps—holding the line to protect water across rural BC. Later this year, more communities will be getting new air quality monitors. This new expansion will get residents living in neighborhoods most impacted by wildfire smoke the important resources they need to stay healthy and safe.
Tricia Latimer, a resident of one of the communities affected by these issues, told us about her experiences with lackluster monitoring. We did have an air quality monitor, but it was a critical one hundred kilometers away. That distance created a barrier to reading those firsthand accounts accurately, as she told us. She expressed relief at the prospect of having local monitors: “Before … it was always a guessing game.”
The Road Ahead
Carter’s premature passing has brought attention to this urgent matter. We need better air quality monitoring systems across rural BC. The province is taking steps now to get ready for future wildfire seasons. Local families and health organizations have mounted a vigorous campaign in support of stronger measures to protect public health.
This advocacy for stronger monitoring tools has the goal of equipping communities with greater understanding of the environmental dangers they might face. Roland Latimer, a child with asthma, voiced his frustrations regarding current limitations: “I feel very trapped when I can’t go outside because of my asthma. It’s really frustrating.” He further remarked on how smoke affects his daily life: “Usually when it’s smoky outside, and I go outside, it makes me cough a lot.”
