Poor air quality in Waterloo region and Guelph will continue into the weekend: Environment Canada
There's high levels of air pollution in Waterloo region and Wellington County as smoke plumes from wildfires burning in Quebec and northeastern Ontario continue to blow into the region, Environment Canada says.
Both the public and Catholic school boards in Waterloo region postponed their regional track and field events scheduled for Wednesday.
The public school board said it's also advised schools to keep windows and doors closed and continue running HEPA filters.
The smoke from the wildfires, which is blanketing the eastern half of Ontario and parts of the United States, will likely continue into the weekend, according to Environment Canada.
Local air quality is expected to worsen Thursday afternoon.
There are currently more than 100 fires burning in Quebec and more than 50 burning in northeastern Ontario.
A number of burn bans are in place across Waterloo region and Wellington County.
WHAT IS THE AIR QUALITY IN KITCHENER AND GUELPH?
Air quality in Guelph deteriorated into Environment Canada’s “high risk” zone around mid-day Wednesday, registering a level 7 on the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
In Kitchener, the day's worst air pollution was also seen between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., but only reached a level 6, or "moderate risk."
Air quality is expected to stay at around a level 6 in both municipalities until about 9 p.m. Wednesday when it’s forecast to improve slightly to a level 5.
The view from the CTV News Kitchener tower on Tuesday, June 6 shows a haze over the skyline in Waterloo region as wildfires burn in northeastern Ontario and Quebec. (CTV)
Environment Canada says air pollution in Kitchener and Guelph could rise to a level 8 Thursday afternoon.
On Tuesday, the AQHI briefly reached a level 8 in Kitchener around 4 p.m. before slowly dropping through overnight and into Wednesday.
STAYING SAFE IN SMOKY CONDITIONS
Seniors, young children, people who are pregnant and anyone with lung disease, asthma or heart disease should reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities, Environment Canada says.
As long as the air quality remains in the moderate risk zone, the general population may continue with those activities, but should stop if symptoms like coughing and throat irritation develop.
Hazy smoke hovering over Puslinch Lake on June 6, 2023. (Submitted)
“Stop outdoor activities and contact your health care provider if you or someone in your care experiences shortness of breath, wheezing (including asthma attacks), severe cough, dizziness or chest pains. Stay inside if you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms,” Environment Canada’s special air quality statement for the region says.
Parents like Sarah Leighton were keeping their kids inside on Wednesday, opting instead for an indoor playground at Play a Latte in Kitchener.
“I have two kids that have asthma, and then I'm pregnant, and my 9 month old is susceptible to everything, so this is the safest space to come," Leighton told CTV Kitchener.
The local business is offering a 20 per cent discount on indoor playdates until June 17.
“I figured it's probably not good for kids, and we have the indoor space available, so I figured why not create a discount, make it a little easier for parents to come in and play," said Play a Latte owner Ronak Patel.
Haze from wildfires burning in northeastern Ontario and Quebec can be seen in Waterloo on June 6, 2023. (Alison Sandstrom/CTV News)
Environment Canada advises keeping indoor air clean by closing doors and windows, as long as it’s not too hot inside the home. An air purifier with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter can also be used to filter wildfire smoke.
The weather agency says if you must spend time outdoors, a well-fitted respirator type mask, like an N95, can help reduce your risk of exposure to the fine particles in smoke.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.