MADISON, Wis. — The thick haze from Canadian wildfire smoke gripped the Madison area again Thursday, posing a challenge to those working on their strokes at the All City Swim Meet, and at the golf course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The air’s thick with essentially soot,” UW Health Allergist Dr. Mark Moss said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With the air quality index hovering between 151 and 200 — labeled unhealthy for everyone — that soot can feel thicker than water.<\/p>\n
Dr. Moss’s two daughters were swimming at the meet. “I have one daughter who has asthma that made sure that she took her inhaler this morning, and they’ll make sure she takes it again tonight.”<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s what Dr. Moss says all parents should be doing at the All City Swim Meet throughout the weekend: watching out for signs the smoky air is getting to your swimmer.<\/p>\n
“Sudden onset of shortness of breath is a significant symptom. Wheezing, coughing, even just, acting more irritable, having, change in mood may indicate difficulty breathing for younger children,” said Dr. Moss.<\/p>\n
Organizers say they\u2019ve been in touch with doctors like Moss, and meteorologists all day.<\/p>\n
“We want obviously our swimmers to be safe,” Alli Douglas, Head Coach of Hill Farm Swim Club said. “So that’s our number one priority and right now it is safe for them to swim.”<\/p>\n
They advise any parents with concerns to use their best discretion when it comes to their kids competing.<\/p>\n
Connie, a parent, said, “It feels okay out here and the kids are usually swimming pretty short races, so they’re not exerting themselves over a long period of time. So I think they’ll be okay.”<\/p>\n
Because with 500 volunteers and dozens of swimmers a day, the show must go on.<\/p>\n
“Every time that you get to the pool on, like the first day or right there, warm ups or whatever, you don’t really know what you’re walking into because it doesn’t look like the same pool that like the dual meets are at,”\u00a0swimmer Taylor Samuelson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They\u2019re not the only ones getting active.<\/p>\n
The thick smoke was nothing golfers at Odana Hills couldn\u2019t cut through with a driver.<\/p>\n
“I just kind of deal with it,” Mark Paradise, a golfer, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I can feel a little bit in my lungs and, a little runny nose. But it’s hard to actually pick up the ball at the end of a drive when normally you can see it pretty clearly,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Above all, doctors say if you don’t have those chronic conditions, you should be OK. “The best thing to do is just, know your limits,” Dr. Moss said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because for many swimmers and their parents, like Connie, “It’s a great atmosphere it’s really fun.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
And a smokey atmosphere won’t change that.<\/p>\n