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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 about wildfire smoke that once covered all of eastern Ontario and the Shawville, Que., area now start well south of the Ottawa River.
Communities such as Belleville, Kingston and Tweed have an orange-level, or uncommonly concerning, alert.
At 1 p.m. Kingston air quality was greater than 10, the maximum on the health risk scale. Belleville was a 10.
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.
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 time 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.
NW Ontario smoke
Another warning from Ardoch to Brockville is yellow, the lowest on the three-colour scale.
At 12 p.m., Ottawa and Cornwall’s air quality risk was low.
The smoky air is coming from more than 100 wildfires in northwestern Ontario that have led to several communities, many of them Anishinaabe, being evacuated or going on standby for a possible evacuation.