Air quality statement lifted in Waterloo-Wellington
The special air quality statement in place in Waterloo region and Wellington County since Monday has been lifted.
Smoke billowing off wildfires in northeastern Ontario and Quebec resulted in poor air quality for millions in both provinces and the northeastern United States this week.
The map on the left shows areas under special air quality statements (in grey) as of Thursday at 11 a.m. The map on the right shows the situation on Friday at 11 a.m. Areas in red are under smog warnings. (Environment Canada)
By Friday morning, air quality statements had shifted northwest.
While the statement has been lifted, smells of smoke and slight haze could still be noted in Kitchener on Friday morning.
PREVIOUS STORY FOLLOWS BELOW
“It is a very rare occurrence to have such a high level of contaminants reach southern Ontario due to wildfires,” Environment Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said Thursday.
School boards in Waterloo region postponed regional track meets Wednesday with Environment Canada warning air pollution could reach level 7 on its Air Quality Health Index (AQHI).
At level 7 and above, the federal weather agency says seniors, young children, people who are pregnant and anyone with asthma, lung and heart disease should reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities.
Ultimately, Kitchener air pollution levels stayed in the “moderate risk” zone Wednesday, registering a level 6 at worst between 11 a.m. and noon.
Local air quality has hovered around a level 4 throughout most of Thursday, but Environment Canada forecasts it could sink to level 6 this evening.
“We are still expecting air quality to be deteriorated through the evening,” Flisfeder said. “It really does depend on how the concentrations are affected by the wildfire situation.”
WHEN WILL AIR QUALITY IMPROVE?
With a chance of rain Thursday night, the question is how much will fall and how much of a difference it will make.
“Any rain in the forecast will help improve the air quality. It helps flush out the contaminants from the sky and bring them to the ground level where they won’t be a factor in the air quality as much,” Flisfeder said.
Flisfeder said air quality is expected to improve heading into the weekend as wind conditions shift, but said that could change if wildfires can’t be controlled.
Haze from wildfires in northeastern Ontario and Quebec can be seen in Waterloo on June 6, 2023. (Alison Sandstrom/CTV News)
HOW ARE K-W RESIDENTS COPING?
Meanwhile, some aren’t letting the hazy conditions get in the way of their plans.
“You can feel it and smell it a little bit, but it doesn’t seem that bad,” Brad Hoffman said Thursday morning at Rockway Golf Course in Kitchener.
Others are taking precautions, like wearing a mask outside, until the smoke clears.
“I had COVID a few months ago, and I continue to have challenges with my lung capacity as a result,” Kyra Jansen said. “I’m just trying to protect myself the best I can. It’s just interesting going from wearing a mask indoors to wearing one outdoors.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.