Two tornadoes confirmed in Sask.
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WATCH: Environment Canada confirmed tornadoes touched down near Colville and Hepburn over the weekend.
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CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
What effect will wildfire smoke have on Toronto residents this summer?
The Toronto skyline is pictured from Polson St. as wildfire smoke rolls into Toronto, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj It's almost summer in Toronto which means many will be looking to soak up the sun after an unseasonably cool May. But with wildfires burning across the northern Ontario, the Prairies, and Western Canada, residual smoke threatens to return to the province's south and could force people indoors due to deteriorating air quality. The city, and much of the surrounding area, saw smoky skies earlier this month as out-of-control fires burned across Canada, which have already displaced tens of thousands of people. The smoke triggered Environment Canada to issue a special air quality statement for the region as well as five other provinces and one territory. On June 6, Toronto briefly held the unenviable title of having the worst air quality in the world due to the smoke, according to Swiss air quality tracker IQAir. 'I think we're already seeing, out of the gate, much higher than our 10-year [wildfire] average. So, it does look like we are in for a tough season,' said Dr. Samir Gupta, a respirologist and associate professor at the University of Toronto, referring to the 183 fires recorded in Ontario so far in 2025. Last year, the province saw 100 forest fires. The 2025 wildfire season has already burned 3.7 million hectares, six times the area of Prince Edward Island, and is the second worst since 2023. The Weather Network released its 2025 summer forecast last month and predicted that conditions by the Ontario-Manitoba boundary will be warmer and drier in the months ahead, which could lead to even more fires and drifting smoke. 'We need to be extra vigilant this summer and really hope that we don't get those fires started because conditions will be more conducive to fire spreading if they do start,' network meteorologist Doug Gillham told The Canadian Press at the time. So, what should you know about Toronto's air quality this summer and how can you stay safe on a smoky day? We spoke with Dr. Gupta to find out. How far reaching can wildfire smoke be? Although people in Toronto won't see any flames as fires burn thousands of kilometres away in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, northern Ontario and beyond, they will likely smell the smoke this summer -- if they haven't already. 'It's not just Toronto, the smoke from the Prairies, at its peak, was affecting three quarters of the continental U.S.,' Gupta said. On June 4, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map showed that the smoke from Canadian wildfires was lingering over skylines from Kansas City to Minneapolis. At the same time, the smoke crossed the Atlantic and reached as far as Europe, according to an EU climate monitor. 'It doesn't matter where it burns. The wind will carry it. The wind carried it all the way to London,' Gupta said. 'So, we will definitely see the effects in Toronto.' What happens when air quality deteriorates due to wildfire smoke? Gupta said while there are 'lots' of health effects associated with inhaling wildfire smoke, the most measurable are emergency room visits and hospital admissions, both of which he said increase 'within hours' of the Air Quality Health Index level rising. 'We see increased emergency room visits for things like asthma exacerbations or flare ups, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) flare ups. So, obviously lung diseases, because that's the first point of entry of that smoke,' he said. But the health effects aren't limited to the respiratory system. Gupta said the smoke can also cause cardiovascular issues to spike. 'We start to see more heart attacks. In some studies, they've shown more strokes and more heart failure admissions and that's partly because obviously the irritation happens at the level of the lungs when you're breathing in the smoke, but the smoke contains these tiny particles that are small enough to get into the bloodstream through the lungs. And when that happens, they go to all the organs, and that includes the heart, and the heart is very sensitive to these particles, and so it starts to affect cardiovascular function as well.' Headaches, coughs and red eyes In addition to the more serious health effects listed above, wildfire smoke can also cause headaches, a mild cough, as well as nose, throat, eye and sinus irritation. However, because the very-fine particles in the air aren't visible to the human eye, Gupta said by the time you realize you're having a reaction, 'it's often too late.' 'The problem is that for most people, it's silent, you know. some people might have some irritation, sore throats and nose after prolonged exposure, but most people won't know.' In more serious cases, wildfire smoke can cause dizziness, wheezing and chest pains. Who's most at risk? According to Gupta, the most vulnerable populations include (but aren't limited to), the elderly, people with chronic diseases, those who are pregnant, and infants and young children. 'Those people have to check the Air Quality Health Index and try to avoid going out on poor air quality days, because you won't feel it, but it'll be doing the damage,' he said. According to the Air Quality Health Index, which can be viewed on most weather apps, level 1 to 3 represents a low risk, 4 to 6 is moderate risk, 7 to 10 is high risk and above 10 is very high risk. What if I work or exercise outdoors? In addition to monitoring the air quality in your area, if you need to be outdoors on a smoky day, Gupta advises minimizing your time in the open air as much as you can. Beyond that, he says an N-95 mask, similar to the ones used during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a good bet. 'We worry about those tiny particles. So if you can get your hands on one of those high-quality masks, that's the best.' If you exercise or run outdoors, Gupta said you should plan your workouts around the current air quality reading. 'I run outside and I won't run on a 7 plus day. I'll have to do it indoors. I'll have to find an alternative, because I know that with running, you're breathing in double the amount of pollution. It really can take a toll, even on a healthy person.'
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Ottawa could feel like 33 on Tuesday
Ottawa will experience hot and humid conditions over the next two days, with the humidex making it feel in the 30s. Environment Canada's forecast calls for a mix of sun and cloud today with a 30 per cent chance of showers. High 27 C with the humidex making it feel like 33. The humidity was 100 per cent at 6 a.m. It will be partly cloudy tonight with a 30 per cent chance of showers. Low 20 C. Wednesday will see a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent chance of showers. High 28 C with the humidex making it feel like 36. Thursday will see mainly cloudy conditions with a 60 per cent chance of showers. High 24 C. The outlook for Friday calls for cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of showers. High 22 C. Saturday will be cloudy. High 25 C. The normal temperatures for this time of year are a high of 24 C and a low of 14 C.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Low mosquito numbers in Edmonton but expert warns that could change quickly
The wet weekend weather in Edmonton has mosquito treatment program crews rushing to sites around the city where the insects are most likely to be hatching. As Edmonton continues to see spring showers, pest management experts are keeping a close eye on what it means for mosquito development. 'At this point we're not seeing a lot of adult mosquito activity,' said Mike Jenkins, a senior scientist with the City of Edmonton's Pest Management Laboratory. 'Our trap numbers are among the lowest we've had for a May period in many years,' he added. Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News Edmonton, right at your fingertips Jenkins said most of the mosquito activity is happening around roadside ditches, industrial parts of the city and areas with low-lying depressions. 'Roadside ditch and ground crews have been out treating those habitats, reducing the numbers of mosquito larvae that are developing in those areas and hopefully we'll continue to have low mosquito numbers going forward,' he said. 'Enjoy the lack of mosquitoes," Jenkins said. Mike Jenkins Mike Jenkins checks a mosquito trap on May 23, 2024. (Matt Marshall, CTV News Edmonton) Conditions have been ideal for keeping not just mosquitoes away but Jenkins said are also keeping the number of yellow jackets and ants low. 'That could change drastically,' said Jenkins. 'If we get a lot of precipitation coming in in June, if we get high temperatures that increase both the development of mosquitoes but also ramps up the development for yellow jackets and ants,' he said. Jenkins said the Aedes Vexans species that develop in summer conditions can go from nothing to biting in less than a week with enough rain. 'A dormant egg that has been sitting there for five to 10 years, that can be triggered by a rainfall and it goes through its cycle of larval stages and emerges as an adult within four to five days,' he said. The Culex Pipiens is another species Edmonton mosquito experts are watching. It was discovered a few years ago and Jenkins said it's a species known to carry the West Nile Virus. 'We did get some West Nile cases in Alberta last year but not in the Edmonton area,' said Jenkins. It's a species linked more to temperature than rainfall and habitats usually develop in standing water around people's property, in things like bird baths, eaves troughs, old tires and uncovered rain barrels. 'Make sure that those aren't acting as a mosquito development site,' said Jenkins. 'Empty the water out of them. If you have a bird bath in particular, change the water at least once a week,' he added. He said crews are finding more Cuelax Pipiens in Edmonton every year and that the city is developing a plan on how to best address the increase. Mike Jenkins Mike Jenkins checks a new carbon dioxide mosquito trap being used in Edmonton. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton) The city has also started using new traps to collect mosquito data. 'We've now switched entirely to carbon dioxide baited traps,' said Jenkins. The traps are battery powered giving crews more flexibility on where they can be put up, and use carbon dioxide instead of a light bulb to attract mosquitos. 'Rather than having all the flies and moths and everything else that gets attracted to the light bulbs we get a sample that is pretty much just mosquitoes,' Jenkins said. 'As we catch them they're actually still alive and so they're very good specimens, we can do things like virus sampling and stuff on those specimens rather than with the light traps where they've been sitting dead for a week,' he added.
