My son has asthma. I live in a state of constant anxiety every wildfire season [Video]

This First Person column is written by Megan Paxman, who lives in Wetaskiwin, Alta. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ.

It’s summer, 1990-something. My siblings and I spend our days running through the sprinkler, lazing on the deck and splashing in lakes. We take long road trips with our parents to visit family in another province or friends in the U.S.

No one is worried about air quality. Our parents don’t tell us to stay inside because it is dangerously hot. We smell smoke only when we are roasting marshmallows over a fire.

Fast forward.

It’s Mother’s Day 2023. The smoke has been hanging in the air for a couple of weeks now. The sun looks orange. My four-year-old son has been sleepy and unwilling to eat all morning. I notice that the skin between his ribs and at the base of his throat is pulling in between every inhale.

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