Poor air blankets much of eastern Ontario Saturday afternoon

Poor air blankets much of eastern Ontario Saturday afternoon

Cornwall at 10 on Air Quality Health Index scale, while downtown Ottawa, Kingston sitting at 9

A wide swath of eastern Ontario is once again suffering from poor air quality as smoky haze blankets the region.

Environment Canada is warning that smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario could cause concerns with both air quality and visibility throughout Saturday afternoon and evening.

As of 3 p.m., Saturday, downtown Ottawa and Kingston were both at a 9 on the Air Quality Health Index scale, which ranges from 1 to 10+.

Cornwall surpassed both cities and was sitting at 10 on the scale.

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All three communities are forecasted to drop to a low-risk 2 by Sunday.

Belleville's air quality by mid-Saturday afternoon was at a 5 on the scale, but was expected to rise to 8 later in the afternoon to evening.

Air quality conditions and visibility can rapidly change every hour and create significant differences over small areas, Environment Canada said.

People may experience eye, nose and throat irritation, the agency said, as well as coughing or wheezing.

Environment Canada suggests people keep their windows and doors shut to limit smoke from getting inside their homes.