By Karen Graham
Published June 25, 2023
Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada is draped in wildfire smoke on May 17, 2023.
Credit - Dwayne Reilander, CC SA 4.0.
Poor air quality warnings have been issued for three provinces as dangerous smoke and haze from rampaging wildfires increases.
Environment Canada is warning of poor air quality in the capital as plumes of wildfire smoke from Quebec again blanket the sky, causing outdoor events to be canceled and many outdoor amenities to be closed.
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) reached the maximum level of 10+ by 11 a.m. It is forecast to remain at that level through the rest of the day and overnight. Montreal had the most polluted air in the world as of 9 a.m. Sunday.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says 465 fires are burning across the country, including 240 that are out of control, according to the Globe and Mail.
That’s up from 420 fires burning one week ago, largely due to an increase in fires in Alberta and Ontario. Sadly, nearly 72,000 square kilometers (27,800 square miles) of forest land has burned this year so far, an area nearly four times the size of Lake Ontario. Three new wildfires were reported Sunday alone.
Wildfires have been burning in Quebec for weeks, causing hazy conditions in Ottawa throughout the month of June. The fire risk has prompted evacuation orders most recently in small villages in northwestern Quebec near the boundary with Ontario.
Experts note that climate change is creating conditions that lead to stronger and more widespread forest fires, which in turn spread smoke over large areas.
Poor air quality warnings have been issued for three provinces as dangerous smoke and haze from rampaging wildfires increases.
Environment Canada is warning of poor air quality in the capital as plumes of wildfire smoke from Quebec again blanket the sky, causing outdoor events to be canceled and many outdoor amenities to be closed.
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) reached the maximum level of 10+ by 11 a.m. It is forecast to remain at that level through the rest of the day and overnight. Montreal had the most polluted air in the world as of 9 a.m. Sunday.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says 465 fires are burning across the country, including 240 that are out of control, according to the Globe and Mail.
That’s up from 420 fires burning one week ago, largely due to an increase in fires in Alberta and Ontario. Sadly, nearly 72,000 square kilometers (27,800 square miles) of forest land has burned this year so far, an area nearly four times the size of Lake Ontario. Three new wildfires were reported Sunday alone.
Wildfires have been burning in Quebec for weeks, causing hazy conditions in Ottawa throughout the month of June. The fire risk has prompted evacuation orders most recently in small villages in northwestern Quebec near the boundary with Ontario.
Experts note that climate change is creating conditions that lead to stronger and more widespread forest fires, which in turn spread smoke over large areas.
The current forecast map on firesmoke.ca shows smoke affecting much of eastern Canada and significant swaths of northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C., with some smoke reaching as far north as the Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories
Environment Canada is “advising the general public to reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if experiencing symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. Children, the elderly, and people at risk, such as those with chronic lung issues, heart disease, or who are pregnant, should also avoid any strenuous activities and physical exertion outdoors.”
Environment Canada is “advising the general public to reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if experiencing symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. Children, the elderly, and people at risk, such as those with chronic lung issues, heart disease, or who are pregnant, should also avoid any strenuous activities and physical exertion outdoors.”
No comments:
Post a Comment