Current AQHI by city
Live Air Quality Health Index from Environment Canada for major Alberta centres, with modelled fine particle estimates (PM2.5 and PM10) for extra smoke context. Use official guidance for health decisions.
Readings are current
Updated Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. MT
Province high: 4Moderate
Sensitive groups should reduce prolonged outdoor exertion.
| City | AQHI | Health band | PM2.5 | PM10 | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | 4 | Moderate | 10.8 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Fort McMurray | 3 | Good | 9.8 µg/m³ | 10.0 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Airdrie | 3 | Good | 10.8 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Edmonton | 2.7 | Good | 9.7 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Lethbridge | 2.7 | Good | 6.9 µg/m³ | 7.0 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Medicine Hat | 2.4 | Good | 8.8 µg/m³ | 9.0 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Red Deer | 2.2 | Good | 6.3 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
| Grande Prairie | 1.9 | Good | 3.8 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | Aug 28, 2026, 2:00 a.m. |
What these measurements mean
Air quality pages use a few technical terms. Here is a plain-language guide so you can read the table without a science background.
AQHI — Air Quality Health Index
Canada’s main outdoor air health score, from 1 to 10+. Higher numbers mean higher health risk for outdoor activity. AQHI combines several pollutants into one simple number for the public; it is the primary column to watch for day-to-day decisions.
- 1–3: Low risk for most people
- 4–6: Moderate — sensitive groups should ease up on long outdoor exercise
- 7–10: High — reduce outdoor activity
- 10+: Very high — avoid outdoor exertion
Health band
Alberta.io groups AQHI into simple labels for scanning: Good (roughly 1–3), Moderate (4–6), and High Risk (7+). Use the numeric AQHI when you need the exact official scale.
Sensitive groups usually include children, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with asthma, COPD, heart disease, or other lung conditions.
PM2.5 — fine particles
PM means particulate matter (tiny solid or liquid bits floating in the air). The 2.5 means particles about 2.5 micrometres across or smaller — roughly 30 times thinner than a human hair.
These fine particles can go deep into the lungs. Wildfire smoke is often rich in PM2.5, which is why this number rises on smoky days even when the sky only looks a bit hazy.
PM10 — coarser particles
Particles up to about 10 micrometres wide. That includes some smoke, road dust, pollen, and other larger bits. PM10 is more likely to irritate eyes, nose, and throat; PM2.5 is more closely watched for deep lung and heart effects.
Both PM columns on this page are modelled estimates (Open-Meteo) for context. Official health messaging for Canadians still centres on AQHI from Environment Canada.
µg/m³ — micrograms per cubic metre
Particle concentrations are written as µg/m³ (sometimes written ug/m3). That means:
- µg (microgram)One-millionth of a gram — an extremely small mass.
- m³ (cubic metre)About the air volume of a small closet or a large cardboard box.
- TogetherHow many micrograms of particles float in each cubic metre of outdoor air.
Higher µg/m³ means denser particle pollution. There is no single “safe number” on this page that replaces AQHI; treat PM values as extra smoke context next to the health index.
How to use AQHI
- 1–3 Low: Ideal for outdoor activity for most people.
- 4–6 Moderate: Consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion if you are in a sensitive group.
- 7–10 High: Reduce or reschedule outdoor activity; children and seniors should take extra care.
- 10+ Very high: Avoid outdoor exertion; follow public health advice.
Related Alberta signals
Sources and data references
- Environment Canada AQHI — realtime observations via MSC GeoMet for major Alberta stations.Provincial AQHI summary GeoMet AQHI API
- Open-Meteo — modelled PM2.5 and PM10 for additional smoke context only (not regulatory).Air quality API docs
- Alberta Wildfire / BC Wildfire Service — when smoke is elevated, check the wildfire map for upwind fire context.Wildfire map with sources