Government mail service may be affected by the Canada Post labour disruption. See how to send and receive government mail during this time.
Wildfire smoke can cause poor air quality and reduce visibility across the province. One of the major components of smoke with a risk to human health is fine particulate matter (PM2.5). PM2.5 is made up of very small particles, with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller. PM2.5 can be inhaled into the lungs and may cause health concerns.
In anticipation of, and in response to wildfire activity, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) deploys portable air quality monitors in areas not covered by long term air monitoring stations. These monitors, known as Environmental Beta Attenuation Mass monitors (E-BAMs) are used to measure and report hourly PM2.5 concentrations as a measure of the amount of smoke in air. As the wildfire season progresses, monitoring locations may change to more effectively respond to emergencies.
For more about air quality monitoring and reporting during wildfires, see: Wildfire Smoke Information
E-BAM monitoring sites map
In July and August 2024, 6 E-BAMs were deployed: 1 in Whitecourt and 5 in Jasper. As of October 2024, 4 E-BAMs remain in operation: 1 in Whitecourt and 3 in Jasper. As of November 2024, 1 E-BAM remains in Jasper.
Zoom into the map for more detailed locations. Select a circle on the map to view the monitoring station information.
Source: Government of Alberta
E-BAM monitoring sites graphs
Hourly PM2.5 concentrations
The hourly PM2.5 concentrations collected at each E-BAM location are provided in the graph below. Data availability for each E-BAM differs based on time of deployment. The graph also includes Alberta’s hourly Ambient Air Quality Guideline (AAAQG) of 80 µg/m3 for PM2.5 for reference.
Chart data table
| TimeStamp | Jasper-HazelAve | Jasper-HealthCentre | Jasper-MaligneLodge | Jasper-MarmotLodge | Jasper-RecreationCentre | Whitecourt | AAAQG |
|---|
Select the E-BAM name in the legend to toggle it on or off in the chart. E-BAMs that are toggled off in the graph will not be included in the station data within the “Download” tab. To see all the hourly values for all stations, see the “Data table” tab.
Disclaimer: In effort to have timely communication, data have only undergone preliminary quality assurance and control. Data integrity and validity may be affected by instrument malfunctions, connection problems or power failures. Data confirmed to be invalid for any of these reasons are removed from the generated data.
Source: Government of Alberta
Table description
Line chart showing hourly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations measured at available E-BAM locations in Alberta from July 24, 2024 to present. Lines are shown for each E-BAM deployed. The concentration values from each monitor can be found in tabular form in the data table tab.
24-hour average - PM2.5 concentrations
The 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations at each E-BAM location are provided in the graph below. Data availability for each E-BAM differs based on time of deployment. The graph also includes Alberta’s daily Ambient Air Quality Objective (AAAQO) of 29 µg/m3 for PM2.5 for reference.
Chart data table
| TimeStamp | Jasper-HazelAve | Jasper-HealthCentre | Jasper-MaligneLodge | Jasper-MarmotLodge | Jasper-RecreationCentre | Whitecourt | AAAQO |
|---|
Select the E-BAM name in the legend to toggle it on or off in the chart. E-BAMs that are toggled off in the graph will not be included in the station data for download within the “Download” tab. To see all the daily average values for all stations, see the “Data table” tab.
Disclaimer: In effort to have timely communication, data have only undergone preliminary quality assurance and control. Data integrity and validity may be affected by instrument malfunctions, connection problems or power failures. Data confirmed to be invalid for any of these reasons are removed from the generated data.
Source: Government of Alberta
Table description
Line chart showing 24-hour average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations measured at available E-BAM locations in Alberta from July 24, 2024 to present. Lines are shown for each E-BAM deployed. The 24-hour average values at each monitor can be found in tabular form in the data table tab.
Back to
Wildfire smoke information