wildfire smoke from Prairies expected to cause poor air quality for southwestern Ontario
The conditions are expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility across the region.
"Smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour," Environment Canada said in an online statement.
Air quality is expected to improve from north to south. However, as smoke levels increase, so do health risks, according to the federal weather agency.
"Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events."
Mild and common symptoms from exposure to smoke in the air include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough, says Environment Canada. More serious symptoms are wheezing, chest pains or a severe cough.
"People more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors, should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms."
If you're indoors, it's suggested you keep your windows and doors closed and use a clean, high-quality air filter in your ventilation system.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Evacuation orders expanded due to wildfire on Vancouver Island
Evacuation orders related to a wildfire northwest of Nanaimo, B.C. on Vancouver Island were expanded as blazes continued to cause poor air quality throughout B.C. on Saturday. The Wesley Ridge wildfire on the north shore of Cameron Lake covers an area of 245 hectares, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), and just over 60 properties are now under evacuation orders in the nearby Little Qualicum River Village. The most recent evacuation orders were issued late Friday night due to the fire, which is burning on the north shore of Cameron Lake and is among nearly 150 wildfires burning around the province. At the nearby Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, the campground is under an evacuation alert, according to the Environment Ministry, and the day-use areas for Cameron Lake and Beaufort along the Highway 4 corridor are closed. The latest updates on closures in the park can be found on the B.C. Parks website. "Highway 4 is not impacted, however, we ask all travellers using the highway to please be mindful of crews working in the area, proceed with caution, stay [focused] on the road and maintain a steady flow of traffic," BCWS said in an update. The Regional District of Nanaimo has also issued an evacuation alert for hundreds of properties to the northeast of the lake in the Little Qualicum River Village. An evacuation alert asks residents to be ready to leave at a moment's notice, while an evacuation order means residents should leave immediately. Poor air quality Meanwhile, another fire south of Lytton, B.C., has led to poor air quality, with the Cantilever Bar wildfire also prompting evacuation orders for two properties in Lytton First Nation. That blaze covered an area of 12.62 square kilometres as of Saturday morning, though the BCWS said it did not see appreciable growth overnight. Special air quality statements are in place for the Fraser Canyon and parts of the southern B.C. Interior due to the blaze. The areas covered by the advisory include the South Thompson, 100 Mile, and Cariboo regions including Williams Lake. Poor air quality is also forecast for the Fort Nelson region in northeast B.C. due to wildfire smoke. The special air quality statements are being accompanied by a number of severe thunderstorm watches that cover much of the eastern half of B.C. On Friday, the BCWS noted that thousands of lightning strikes over the preceding two days had caused the number of blazes in B.C. to double in the span of 24 hours. "Looking ahead to Saturday, lightning activity is expected to continue, with temperatures remaining near seasonal averages," according to a BCWS update. Campers urged to stay away from Harrison Lake The Bear Creek wildfire, detected last week, has prompted road closures near Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley, a popular recreation spot in the Lower Mainland. Campers are being urged to stay out of that area over the long weekend, with the Fraser Valley Regional District issuing an evacuation alert for the North Cascade Bay area. "There is increasing hazard along the Harrison East Forest Service Road due to wildfire activity, including rockfall," according to a BCWS update late Friday night. "Road closures will remain in place through the long weekend and until further notice."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires
When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it. Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities. Here's what to know about taking precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires. What counts as bad air? The EPA's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate" while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups,' and anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo's medical school. 'If you have heart or lung problems, then you've got to be definitely more careful," Sethi said. "I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.' Is my air unhealthy? Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don't see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe. The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings. The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University's Healthy Buildings Program. 'You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don't cost all that much anymore,' he said. What if I have to go outside? For most people, going outside for just a short time won't have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi. Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution. 'N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,' said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University's Center for Climate and Health. 'If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that's the very best.' If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it's good to take precautions. "If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you're feeling short of breath, that's definitely more concerning,' Sethi said. How do I make my air cleaner? Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors. Finally, swapping the air conditioner's filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it's installed correctly. 'If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it's just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you're doing most of your activities in,' said Stowell. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Smoke from Canadian wildfires brings unhealthy air to large swaths of the Midwest
(AP) — Smoke from Canadian wildfires hovered over several Midwestern states Saturday, bringing warnings of unhealthy air for at least the third day. Air quality alerts were in effect in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as eastern Nebraska and parts of Indiana and Illinois. Forecasters said the smoky skies would remain for much of the day. People with lung disease, heart disease, children, older adults and pregnant women are most susceptible to the poor breathing conditions. Canadian environmental officials said smoke from forest fires that was causing reduced visibility and poor quality would persist into Sunday for some areas. The Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir, which assesses air quality in real time, listed the city of Minneapolis as having some of the worst air pollution in the world since Friday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the red or unhealthy category in a large swath of Minnesota and will likely remain through Saturday. AQI is a system used to communicate how much air pollution is in the air. It breaks pollution down into six categories and colors, and advice on what isn't safe to do. They range from 'good' (the color green) to 'hazardous' (maroon). The smoke could start to decline beginning Saturday before spreading as far south as Tennessee and Missouri. The air could remain unhealthy for sensitive groups through Monday, state health officials said. The EPA's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate' while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups.' Anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Parts of Minnesota exceeded that number on Saturday. Health officials advise people with asthma and other lung disease, heart disease, children and older adults to avoid prolonged exposure to smoke and limit strenuous activities. They said to avoid burning things that could make the air pollution worse, and keep windows and doors closed to keep the smoke from getting inside.
