\u201cYou may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough,\u201d it notes.<\/p>\n
People most at risk for symptoms from smoke include those aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children. <\/p>\n
The humidity mixed with the smoke is causing more issues for people. Because of this, experts are telling people to keep cool and make sure air filters are clean.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen indoors, keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. When there is an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool,\u201d the messages reads.<\/p>\n
Communities in the north evacuating <\/p>\n
Ontario Emergency Preparedness Minister Jill Dunlop said that 15 communities in the north have already started evacuations or are considering them.<\/p>\n
She says the situation may continue to escalate rapidly, on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Dunlop says it is likely there will be simultaneous evacuations that need to be done by air, with several communities in the north not accessible by road, and Ontario may not have enough resources to meet that need.<\/p>\n
The minister asked her federal counterpart, Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski, for assistance as the crews battle the more than 180 wildfires burning across northern Ontario.<\/a><\/p>\n Winds out of the northwest could fan the flames of dozens of forest fires that have already devastated communities, including one fast-moving blaze that damaged and destroyed homes and buildings on Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, north of Thunder Bay.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n With files from Allison Jones, The Canadian Press. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tForest fire smoke continue to shroud the national capital region, triggering air quality advisories. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sean Kilpatrick. <\/p>\n \t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n Add CityNews Ottawa as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-203-1024x459.png\")
One of the largest fires burning in the area is in a very remote portion of the province<\/a>, where a blaze of 20,804.3 hectares is out of control. (Ontario Wildfire Map) <\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/10cef9deb1b385c176d28a0ff47be3dc7fd4e03132e27000eaee03bda8bb1fa1-2-1024x610.jpg\")
Canadian National Railway workers are surrounded by an out of control wildfire near Armstrong, Ontario in this screen grab from social media on July 15, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Handout \u2013 X Sol Mamakwa (Mandatory Credit) X Sol Mamakwa<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Ottawa-wildfire-smoke-e1784212530445.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778352312_74_google-trusted-badge.png\"){kind=icon}