Each day, Roland Latimer, a nine-year-old resident of Gold River, B.C., monitors the air quality before venturing outside due to his asthma condition. Equipped with inhalers, he must remain indoors on days when wildfire smoke pollutes the air, a situation that can escalate to a severe asthma attack for him.
While wildfire smoke poses health risks to everyone, it poses a particularly grave threat to Roland, making him feel confined when stuck indoors for safety reasons.
Expressing his frustration, Roland described the situation as feeling trapped to host Laura Lynch on the program What on Earth.
Thanks to the installation of four air quality monitors in Gold River, the small town on Vancouver Island where Roland resides, residents can now access crucial safety information. This initiative is part of the legacy of Carter Vigh, a nine-year-old boy who tragically lost his life to an asthma attack during the 2023 wildfire season.
In July 2023, Carter attended a birthday party at a water park on a day his parents believed the air was clear, despite the Air Quality Health Index indicating low risk. However, the index was based on air quality data from monitors located around 100 kilometers away from their home in 100 Mile House, B.C.
Following this heartbreaking event, Carter’s mother, Amber Vigh, has partnered with the B.C. Lung Foundation to establish Carter’s Project, turning their family tragedy into a platform for educating and assisting others.
According to Vigh, raising awareness about air quality is crucial for everyone’s well-being. She emphasized the importance of understanding air quality and its impact on health.
James and Amber Vigh said they and their nine-year-old son, Carter, took his asthma seriously all of his life. Carter died in hospital on Tuesday.
Educating on Air Quality
Wildfire smoke, even when invisible or odorless, contains harmful gases and microscopic particles known as PM2.5 that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation. This poses a greater risk to vulnerable groups such as seniors, children