Some smoke relief for GTA expected soon. Here’s when

The air quality problems are persisting in the GTA with Thursday marking another day of lingering smoke that can be smelt and seen.

As the wildfires continue to burn, the afternoon will still be quite hazy with the Air Quality Index at a 7 or 8, on a 10-point scale, which classifies the area in the high-risk category.

With a northerly wind between 15 to 25 kilometres per hour and gusts to 30, the smoke will continue to be shipped into our area. Even on Thursday evening, the smoke will be very pronounced with hazy conditions still remaining.

The map below shows that conditions will still be hazy at 7 p.m. with the reds and oranges indicating thicker levels of smoke and greens and blue indicating dissipating smoke levels.

With the particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere, people may experience watery and itchy eyes, a scratchy throat, dizziness, and fatigue. Those with respiratory sensitivities like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should stay indoors and avoid strenuous activity. In general, physically demanding activities like running and biking are not recommended for long and extended periods of time.

There may be a few rain showers that pop up this afternoon and that would help to clear out some of the smoke. As we head into Friday, the smoke will still not be nearly as thick with some of the winds shifting direction to the southwest, which essentially pushes some of the smoke out of the area. There will be an increased chance for some rain showers to pop up on Friday too, which could also benefit the attempts to clear out the smoke.

For protection, it is recommended that people wear a mask (ideally an N95) to limit the amount of particulate matter that they breathe in and they can even dampen the mask a bit to catch some of the particulate matter. Also, it is advised to keep windows and doors closed to limit air flow from outside and use an air purifier, if at all possible.

People in the highest risk category are those with lung disease, heart disease, pregnant women, children and the elderly.

Most school boards across the GTA are heeding the warnings. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) says Thursday’s outdoor activities, including athletic events and field trips, will be moved indoors or rescheduled.

For the second straight day, the Niagara Falls Fireworks program will not take place due to the air quality in the region.