Northern health unit issues warnings as wildfire smoke causes poor air quality
Wildfire smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario and Quebec is creating hazy and smoky conditions blanketing cities across Ontario.
Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement Wednesday for much of the northeast.
Public health officials warn that the smoke can be dangerous, with the fires creating high concentrations of air pollution.
Environment Canada said with the current weather system in Ontario, the air mass is stagnant. With high pressure over Lake Superior and winds, wildfire smoke with poor air quality is expected to persist into the weekend.
“The ridge is going to stay in place today into the weekend but I’m seeing some weather models nod towards a change in weather patterns into this weekend,” said Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Trudy Kidd.
“We’re expecting a low pressure system to creep into southwestern Ontario and with that brings cleaner air.”
Ontario’s Air Quality Health Index reports North Bay, Sudbury, Parry Sound and Sault Ste. Marie’s air quality is expected to be moderate to very poor Thursday.
“Wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and from hour to hour,” said Kidd.
“If you're noticing the air quality is getting worse, go inside and close your windows."
Wildfire smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario and Quebec is creating hazy and smoky conditions blanketing cities across Ontario. (Supplied)
As of Wednesday morning, the number of active forest fires in northern Ontario reached 54 with 10 new wildfires Tuesday. Thirty of those active fires are not under control, an increase of seven from Tuesday.
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is reminding people to take precautions as air pollution can severely affect people with lung or heart disease.
“We recommend people check the Air Quality Health Index through the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks website, or on your local radio or TV stations, to be aware of the degree of risk,” said Robert A-Muhong, the health unit’s manager of environmental health.
A-Muhong said poor air quality can also affect children, seniors and pregnant people.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said smoke drift is travelling as far as north of Timmins, down through Sudbury and past Parry Sound.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"See smoke and are unsure if you should call it in? Generally, if you see a column of smoke, give us a call at 310-FIRE (3473) if you’re located north of the French and Mattawa Rivers (or 911 if you’re south of these rivers),” the MNRF said.
Otherwise, the agency encourages people to check its website to determine if what you’re seeing is drifting heavy smoke.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.