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If you suffer from seasonal allergies, this year you may have reached for Reactine a little more than usual.
Pollen appeared in clouds in much of western Canada, accumulating on cars, decks, alleys and even beaches.
“It’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen him like this in ages,” said Sage Leimathannon, who is suffering from severe allergy symptoms this year, where she lives near Prince George, British Columbia.
“I’m sitting in my car right now looking at a nice layer of pollen in my mirror. And it’s pretty bad. My allergies are pretty awful.”
The high number of pollen, due in part to last year’s heat dome, is causing drifts on beaches such as the one in West Lake near Prince George, British Columbia (Saige Liimatainen)
how bad is it
According to Daniel Coates, director of aerobics research laboratories in Ontario, pollen counts are high in much of western Canada.
The Ottawa Laboratory monitors pollen and spores in Canada to provide data and forecasts for a number of trees, including oak, birch and pine.
“Currently, pine is actually growing in Edmonton and has been doing so for some time,” Coates said.
In Saskatchewan, both Saskatoon and Regina had high pollen levels this spring.
“For pine pollen this year in Saskatoon is similar to last year. “We had about 500 grains per cubic meter for a few days, which is very high,” he said.
According to Coates, the fight in Regina is worse than last year and has lasted from the end of May until now.
The root of this floating trouble comes from the branches of conifers. The flowering of our trees is breathtaking, according to many definitions, says Janice Cook, a professor of biology at the University of Alberta.
“The spruces in our neighborhoods are just loaded like Christmas trees with all these cones,” she said.
“Every so often we get a confluence of developmental and meteorological circumstances. Everything aligns and we get a great bloom and we call it mapping.”
This is the first time in several years that we have experienced this, she says.
Heat is a driving factor
Cook says the development of pollen on a tree is delayed. This means that this year’s flowering is determined by last year’s time.
“We had a drought and we also had extreme heat last summer. Both are really difficult for plants,” said Helen Schuck, a research technician who runs GardenLine, a free support service offered by the University of Saskatchewan.
She says that sometimes the response of the tree to these conditions is to intensify when it comes to reproduction.
“It triggers all sorts of things in the plant. And one of those things is a survival mechanism. So, we have to make babies, we have to make seeds.”
Cook says our cooler spring has also affected pollen release. She says night frosts and lower daytime temperatures have slowed the release of pollen.
“They are all leaving at the same time. And that’s why this year we’re seeing this crazy amount of pollen in the air, “Cook said.
As long as excess cones do not damage the trees, this can affect growth. (Kirk Fraser / CBC)
Is climate change to blame?
The answer to this question is a bit complicated, according to Cook. This is because many of these trees occasionally produce large crops of cones because they take up a lot of resources.
“Even in the face of climate change, where we might see these warm summer temperature domes more often, they won’t always suit these massive crops,” she said.
And while stress on trees and high cone production can affect growth, Cook says it’s not harmful for trees to produce so much pollen.
“It really puts them in a small deficit at the beginning of the season. But this season so far has been really good for the growth of the trees,” she said.
Allergy sufferers feel the impact
Of course, the other thing that is growing is the irritation of people who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Dr. Ross Chang, an allergy specialist in Burnaby, British Columbia, says patients appear to be experiencing more severe symptoms this season.
“Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system. We call it hyperreactivity,” said Chang, a former president of the BC Allergy and Immunology Association. “Even in certain individuals, otherwise harmless things like pollen, dust, pets or food can cause both moderate and severe allergic reactions.
Chang says everything from itching, watery eyes and runny nose to difficulty breathing like asthma can be caused by pollen counts, such as what we see.
Pollen coming from the Hudson Bay Mountains in Smithers, British Columbia (Submitted by Jim Oud)
According to Chang, about 20% of people in Canada suffer from some form of seasonal allergy transmitted through the air.
“The important thing is that you don’t have to suffer from allergies to help people,” he said. “There are many methods we can do to help you enjoy spring.” and summer activities. “
The Pollen Laboratory in Ottawa Coates agrees that as numbers increase, there are small things you can do to help.
“Go for a walk after the rain, because the rain washes the pollen out of the air,” he said.
Even masking, wrapping sunglasses or keeping pets out of furniture on days with bad pollen can save you from symptoms, according to Coates.
Drastic measures can be taken on really bad days, he added.
“Just stay indoors.”
Our planet is changing. So is our journalism. This story is part of the CBC News initiative, entitled “Our Changing Planet”, to show and explain the effects of climate change. Stay up to date with the latest news on our climate and environment page.
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