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Tag: air quality

Topic: wildfiresView all posts for the topic: wildfires

Wildfire smoke far more dangerous to health than thought, say scientists

Published August 19, 2025

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Published by: The Guardian
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By Ajit Niranjan

Choking smoke spewed by wildfires is far more dangerous than previously thought, a new study has found, with death tolls from short-term exposure to fine particulates underestimated by 93%.

Researchers found that 535 people in Europe died on average each year between 2004 and 2022 as a result of breathing in the tiny toxic particles known as PM2.5 that are released when wildfires rage.

Under standard methods, which assume PM2.5 from wildfires is as deadly as from other sources, such as traffic, they would have expected just 38 deaths a year.

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Topic: wildfiresView all posts for the topic: wildfires

What’s all this wildfire smoke doing to your health? Here’s what experts have to say

Published August 6, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Heather Kitching

People who breathe air polluted with large amounts of wildfire smoke visit hospital emergency rooms more often for respiratory symptoms, according to a Canadian emergency room physician and chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance.

Rates of heart attack and cardiac arrest also increase after a couple of days of exposure, Dr. Courtney Howard said.

“So don’t just attribute that feeling of heaviness in your chest to asthma,” said Howard, who works in Yellowknife and is president of the Northwest Territories Medical Association.

“If you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease especially, go see your friendly local emergency department.”

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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

Wildfire smoke blanketing Ottawa could linger into Tuesday

Published August 4, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ted Raymond

Environment Canada says a cloud of wildfire smoke that is covering the nation’s capital could hang overhead into Tuesday.

A special air quality statement is in effect for much of the region as smoke continues to affect most of southern and eastern Ontario.

“The wildfire smoke may persist into tonight and possibly Tuesday before finally easing,” Environment Canada says. “Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.”

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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

Wildfires: Montreal has the worst air quality in the world

Published July 26, 2025

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Published by: Radio-Canada
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By Patrick MacIntyre

Smoke from forest fires is responsible for poor air quality in southern Quebec, northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Montreal is also on Saturday the city where air quality is the worst in the world, according to IQAir’s ranking.

With a score of 191, Montreal ranks first, ahead of cities like Kinshasa in Congo and Manama in Bahrain. Toronto is also part of the top 10, it ranks 8th with a score of 110.

A score between 101 and 150 on the IQAir index indicates that conditions are poor for vulnerable people. If the index is higher than 150, the conditions are bad for everyone’s health.

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Topic: ManitobaView all posts for the topic: Manitoba

Wildfire smoke leads to air quality warnings for much of Manitoba this weekend

Published July 19, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Santiago Arias Orozco

Smoke billowing from wildfires is leading to poor air quality and reducing visibility throughout most of Manitoba this weekend.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued warnings Saturday morning for a large swath of the province, including Winnipeg and Brandon in the south, the Interlake and Thompson in the north.

“We have asthma so we try to just like think about how our chest is feeling … and go from there,” Aleecia Doyle said of she and her son, Liam Doyle. The pair ventured to Old Market Square to catch some of the entertainment for Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival opening weekend.

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Topic: SaskatchewanView all posts for the topic: Saskatchewan

Saskatoon under air quality warning as wildfire smoke blows in from the north

Published July 14, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Rory MacLean

Saskatoon residents are feeling the lingering effects of the province’s northern wildfires on Monday, as a northerly wind has blown heavy smoke into central Saskatchewan.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued an air quality warning after 4 a.m. Monday, advising anyone likely to be affected by smoke, including infants and young children, seniors, people with chronic conditions and those who work outdoors to limit time outside and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms.

The air quality index for the day is listed as 10-plus — considered a very high risk to health.

“During heavy smoke conditions, everyone’s health is at risk regardless of their age or health status,” Environment Canada said.

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Topic: air qualityView all posts for the topic: air quality

Toronto has some of the worst air quality in the world right now — and a new study says smog and wildfire smoke can damage your heart

Published July 14, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Omar Mosleh

With the city once again blanketed in wildfire smoke, experts are warning that long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to higher risk of heart failure.

Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement on Sunday night due to wildfire smoke from northern Ontario pushing Toronto’s Air Quality Health Index to 10+, classified as “very high risk.” Poor air quality was expected to persist Monday and possibly into Tuesday.

The effects of air pollution on the heart are underscored in a recent study, which found that long-term exposure to air pollution, in particular fine particulate matter, was linked to higher levels of diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a type of heart scarring that can lead to higher risk of heart failure.

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Topic: TorontoView all posts for the topic: Toronto

Air quality alert issued for Toronto, GTA as forest fire smoke pushes levels to ‘high risk’

Published July 14, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Allie Moustakis

Toronto and much of the GTA are under a special air quality statement as smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario pushes into the region, Environment Canada warned Sunday night.

The agency says winds are carrying smoke into the area, reducing visibility and pushing the Air Quality Health Index to 10+, classified as “very high risk,” early Monday morning. Poor air quality is expected to persist into Monday and possibly Tuesday, Environment Canada added.

Torontonians are urged to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities, particularly if you experience coughing, runny nose, throat or eye irritation or any other symptoms.

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 are most at risk, Environment Canada says, adding that more serious symptoms such as chest pain or severe coughing should be treated as medical emergencies.

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Topic: TorontoView all posts for the topic: Toronto

Air quality in Toronto among worst in the world amid wildfire smoke, global tracker shows

Published June 6, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Rochelle Raveendran

Toronto is currently the second most polluted major city in the world as wildfire smoke spreads across the city, according to a global tracker.

The ranking by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, puts the city below Santiago, Chile, and above Montreal, which is in third place as it also faces wildfire smoke from western provinces.

As of noon Friday, air quality in Toronto was above 10 on Environment Canada’s air quality health index, which means “very high risk,” according to the weather agency’s website.

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Topic: climate crisisView all posts for the topic: climate crisis

Wildfires: Toronto and Montreal among the cities with the worst air pollution in the world

Published June 6, 2025

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Published by: Radio-Canada
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By Stéphane Bordeleau

The smoke generated by the fires raging in the forests of western Canada worsened air quality on Friday in the Prairies, Ontario and Quebec, where warnings of smog and poor air quality were issued by Environment Canada.

Early this morning, Toronto and Montreal were among the most heavily polluted cities in the world, according to the website of the Swiss company IQAIR, which operates a global air quality monitoring network.

According to the measurements posted on the company’s website, at around 8.30 am, Montreal and Toronto were respectively the second and third most polluted cities in the world, behind Tashkent in Uzbekistan.

In Canada, the worst air quality was measured in Winnipeg and Ottawa on Friday morning.

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Topic: wildfiresView all posts for the topic: wildfires

A warning from Canadian eye doctors about wildfires and smoke

Published June 6, 2025

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Published by: CTV News / The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

TORONTO — The Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes as wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

People on the frontlines of the fires may get airborne particles in their eyes that need to be flushed out with sterile solution, said Dr. David Plemel, an eye surgeon in London, Ont., who was speaking on behalf of the society.

If it’s not easy to get the particle out, he recommends seeing an eye professional so they can remove it without damaging the cornea.

Smoke travels long distances and can affect people’s eyes even if they are far away from an actual blaze, said Plemel, who is also an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Western University.

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Topic: climate crisisView all posts for the topic: climate crisis

Much of Manitoba under air quality warnings as wildfires rage

Published June 2, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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Air quality warnings have been issued for a large swath of Manitoba, though rain could bring some much-needed relief.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) upgraded a number of air quality statements to warnings Monday morning in a large portion of southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Steinbach, and Lac du Bonnet.

These areas join much of northern Manitoba, which have been under air quality warnings for days due to wildfires burning in the region and in northern Saskatchewan.

However, the weather agency notes smoke will improve with rain forecast through southern Manitoba on Monday, while northern communities under wildfire threat will likely have to wait until the weekend for precipitation.

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Topic: ManitobaView all posts for the topic: Manitoba

‘Very high risk’ air quality in Brandon, as smoke persists

Published May 31, 2025

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Published by: The Brandon Sun
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By Abiola Odutola

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for Brandon reached 10+, indicating a “very high risk” level on Saturday morning, as thick smoke was expected to linger in the air until Saturday night.

Environment Canada’s forecast anticipates that these hazardous conditions will persist through Saturday night, with only a slight improvement expected, dropping to a “moderate risk” (AQHI 6) by Sunday morning and a “high risk” (AQHI 7) by Sunday night.

The elevated readings are the result of thick wildfire smoke that drifted into Brandon Friday evening and remains heavy over the city Saturday morning. The smoke originates from wildfires burning in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan and has led Environment Canada to issue a special air quality statement for the city.

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Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

New N.B. school air quality testing results are delayed. Here’s why

Published December 16, 2024

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Published by: Telegraph-Journal
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By Andrew Waugh

Annual school air quality test results haven’t been released on time because the former Higgs government ordered every school to be tested.

Usually the data, which measures carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in classrooms to indicate overall air quality, is released in the last few months of each year and focuses on several dozen schools without mechanical ventilation systems.

But this time, they’re all being tested.

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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

We can, and must, do more to protect students in higher education from the risks of post-COVID condition

Published December 8, 2024

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Published by: The Conversation
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By Julia M. Wright, Dick Zoutman, Mark Ungrin, Ryan Tennant

Canada’s postsecondary institutions have a responsibility to protect students and others on campus from the risks of post-COVID condition as a matter of campus safety.

Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, Mona Nemer, recently released the report, Dealing with the Fallout: Post-COVID Condition and its Continued Impacts on Individuals and Society.

Post-COVID condition (PCC), also known as “long COVID,” refers to the poorly understood and often serious health damage left by the SARS-CoV-2 virus after the acute illness appears to have passed.

Universities, colleges and schools have a duty to take reasonable precautions to protect students, staff and faculty from foreseeable harms. They must ensure the water on campus is safe to drink. They must install fire and carbon monoxide detectors and make evacuation plans. Many have adopted a smoke-free policy on campus as part of a commitment to an international charter on health promotion in universities and colleges. Yet there is little pandemic health promotion on Canadian campuses.

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Topic: wildfiresView all posts for the topic: wildfires

Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke associated with increased risk of dementia: study

Published December 2, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Alexandra Mae Jones

Being exposed to wildfire smoke over a long period of time could increase the risk of developing dementia even more than exposure to other sources of air pollution, according to new research.

In the study, published last week in the journal JAMA Neurology, researchers looked at a cohort of more than 1.2 million people over the age of 60 living in Southern California between 2008 and 2019. They tracked dementia incidence among the cohort and compared it to the average concentration of fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, in the air due to wildfires in the region.

They found that when the three-year average concentration of wildfire PM2.5 went up by just one microgram per cubic metre of air, there was an associated 18 per cent increase in the odds of a dementia diagnosis.

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Topic: air qualityView all posts for the topic: air quality

Student’s article spurs inspection of school’s HVAC system

Published November 17, 2024

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Published by: The Kingston Whig Standard
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By Peter Hendra

Kingston Secondary School will have its automated heating, ventilation and air conditioning system inspected next week following the publication of a student-written article that found the concentration of carbon dioxide in the school exceeded safe levels.

Principal Darren Seymour sent a letter to students, staff and parents last week in response to the article that appeared in “The Bears Bulletin.”

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Topic: climate crisisView all posts for the topic: climate crisis

This wildfire season, changes are coming to better inform people about smoke hazards

Published May 20, 2024

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Published by: The Canadian Press
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By Sonja Puzic

Last year’s record-breaking wildfire season forced Canadians to become familiar with the scale of air pollution as hazardous smoke drifted across the country.

Environment Canada’s colour-coded Air Quality Health Index, designed to help people understand health risks associated with contaminated air, was closely watched under hazy, orange skies that stretched beyond the Canada-U.S. border.

But the AQHI, measured on a scale from one to 10+, was not calculated the same way in all provinces and some people were unsure how index values applied to their daily activities.

Environment Canada hopes several changes being made this year will improve how air quality-related health risks are communicated and understood by the public.

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