Poor air quality leads to health warnings, particularly in Belleville

Poor air quality leads to health warnings, particularly in Kingston-Belleville

Air quality warnings across eastern Ontario, in part of western Quebec

With the Kingston-Belleville area breathing in the worst of local air quality warnings, people are being asked to change plans to minimize time outside until Thursday evening.

Environment Canada's warnings cover all of eastern Ontario and the Fort-Coulonge and Shawville areas of western Quebec.

Communities such as Bancroft, Belleville, Kingston and Tweed have an orange-level, or uncommonly concerning, alert.

Belleville and Kingston air quality is greater than 10, the maximum on the health risk scale, as of 8 a.m.

It's been at least high risk (seven or above) in Belleville since 1 a.m. Kingston was high risk as of 7 a.m.

Air quality there may degrade again Friday or Saturday, forecasters say.

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A very high risk air quality means vulnerable people such as children or the elderly should avoid taxing outdoor activities and everyone else should reschedule or cut back on them.

High risk means vulnerable people should reschedule or cut back exerting themselves outdoors and others should consider doing the same.

People should limit tine outside during the warning, according to Environment Canada, and consider wearing a respirator-type face mask if they do go out for some protection against fine particles in smoke.

Other warnings are yellow, the lowest on the three-colour scale.

Ottawa and Cornwall could peak at a moderate risk on Thursday, meaning vulnerable people should consider changes above.

At 8 a.m., Ottawa's air quality was a moderate five and Cornwall's a low three.

Other local hubs do not have public air quality readings.

The smoky air is coming from dozens of wildfires in northwestern Ontario that have led to several communities, many of them Anishinaabe, being evacuated or going on standby for a possible evacuation.