Environment Canada warns of poor air quality for GTA due to wildfire smoke

A special air quality statement remains in effect for the GTA and much of Southern Ontario as wildfire smoke blankets the region.

Environment Canada is warning that the high levels of air pollution can prove harmful to people’s health and is advising residents to take steps to reduce their exposure. The smoke is a result of forest fires burning in the eastern part of the province as well as fires in Quebec.

“Stop outdoor activities and contact your health care provider if you or someone in your care experiences shortness of breath, wheezing, severe cough, dizziness or chest pains,” reads the air quality statement. “Stay inside if you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms.”

“People with lung disease or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke.”

Special Air Quality Statement continues for a large portion of southern Ontario today. Elevated levels of air pollution and hazy conditions once again due to wildfire smoke in northern Ontario and Quebec

— Jill Taylor (@JillTaylorCity) June 6, 2023

The weather agency advises people to check on friends and family members who may be more susceptible to the smoke. Environment Canada also recommends people keep their doors and windows closed if the temperature inside their residence is comfortable.

It is advising people in the area to take precautions to protect their health and reduce exposure, including wearing masks, avoiding outdoor activities and contacting healthcare providers if they are experiencing irregular symptoms.

“Take a break from the smoke by temporarily relocating or finding a location in your community with clean, cool air such as a library, shopping mall or community centre,” the statement reads.

The township of Greater Madawaska, near Centennial Lake and about 150 kilometres west of Ottawa, issued a precautionary evacuation notice for residents on Monday.

An active fire has been burning around Centennial Lake and is one of 21 new fire starts in the province since the weekend, according to officials.

2023 expected to be the worst fire season ever in Canada

As of late Monday afternoon, 424 fires were burning across Canada, more than 250 of which are considered out of control.

Canada’s emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada, and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.

Bill Blair and six other federal cabinet ministers provided an update Monday on the country’s wildfire situation. He says there are nearly 1,000 foreign firefighters from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa that are helping battle the fires. Additional firefighters are expected to arrive from France.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged that with climate change heightening the fire risk, there are lessons to be learned and decisions to be made about making Canada better able to respond

The BC Wildfire Service says the Donnie Creek wildfire, which has grown to more than 2,400 square kilometres in size, is now considered the second largest in provincial history, while Nova Scotia’s largest-ever wildfire continues to burn out of control.

A new fire risk forecast shows that risk remains well above average in parts of every province and territory except Newfoundland and Labrador, where the risk in most of Labrador is still above average, while the risk in Newfoundland is just average.