‘Temporary improvement’ possible but wildfire smoke persists in Toronto

Torontonians may see an improvement in air quality Friday afternoon, but it won’t last long as wildfire smoke continues to plague the region.

Environment Canada said Friday in its updated orange air quality warning that the smoke from the wildfires in northwestern Ontario is continuing to have an impact on many communities in the province’s south.

The air quality warning has been in place since Wednesday, when Canada’s largest city had the worst air quality in the world. As of Friday morning, Toronto’s air is being described as “very unhealthy” by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company that operates the world’s largest real-time air quality information platform.

The city’s air quality is still among the worst in the world, the website shows. As of 9 a.m. ET, Detroit had the worst air quality in the world as the wildfire smoke moves south.

Environment Canada said Thursday that conditions could improve Friday, but now that improvement may not be permanent.

“There may be temporary improvement this afternoon however very poor air quality will return to all regions this evening and may persist into the weekend,” it said Friday.

The smoke has forced the cancellation of several outdoor events this week, including the FIFA Fan Festival watch party in Toronto on Wednesday and the Rock the Park music festival in London.

There were 129 active wildfires in the northwest region as of 6:47 p.m. Thursday, according to data from the Ontario government. Of the fires, 62 are considered to be out of control.

The fires have prompted evacuation orders for several communities, including Armstrong, Lac La Croix First Nation, Whitesand First Nation, Gull Bay First Nation and Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation.

One fast-moving blaze has damaged and destroyed homes and buildings on Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, north of Thunder Bay.

Premier Doug Ford has said crews are hard at work fighting the fires, and the province will spare no expense in keeping people safe.

Environment Canada is advising Canadians to limit time outdoors and prioritize keeping cool inside.

“You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance,” it said.

“People more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, including 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, should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.”