Hazy conditions in Ottawa as wildfire smoke blows across the capital
A haze blanketed the sky Monday in Ottawa as smoke from Quebec wildfires blew across the city
A special air quality statement is in effect for the region cautioning residents of the effects of wildfire smoke over the next couple of days.
"Smoke plumes from local forest fires as well as forest fires in Quebec have resulted in deteriorated air quality. Poor air quality will persist through the day today and possibly through Tuesday for some areas," Environment Canada says.
"Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour."
People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke, the weather agency says.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, the condition at the Ottawa Airport was officially listed as "smoke" according to Environment Canada.
Ottawa Public Health says when the air quality is low because of pollution, such as wildfire smoke, people should reduce time outdoors when outdoor air pollution levels are high. Avoid strenuous outdoor work, exercise, and playtime; stay indoors in a cool, well-ventilated place and plan indoor activities for children.
If you must be outside, try to schedule your activities early in the morning when pollution levels are lowest.
If you experience symptoms such as tightness in your chest, wheezing, or shortness of breath, seek medical attention.
John Ciliberto and Mike Dore spend about 30 hours a week working outside painting, usually under clear sunny skies. But on Monday there was a change.
"It’s a little different than it was yesterday for sure," said Ciliberto. "A lot more smoggier."
Dore adds, "Today is like a haze and you could see the smoke and feel it in your lungs."
Gatineau is under a smog warning.
"The current situation is worrying," said Quebec public health director Luc Boileau in a news release, originally in French. "It requires paying attention to public notices and alerts regarding the presence of smoke or air quality. We recommend that the entire population follow the instructions in order to protect their health from the effects of smoke, especially for the most vulnerable people, i.e. those who suffer from lung or heart problems."
Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips says the smoky conditions will get worse over the next day or two.
"Sometimes the weather moves from west to east," said Phillips. "In this case, the smoke is coming down the Ottawa Valley. It's almost a fumigating situation. It doesn't seem too bad right now but overnight and tomorrow it really picks up."
OTTAWA FORECAST
The forecast calls for a mainly cloudy evening with a 40 per cent chance of showers and the risk of a thunderstorm. Clouds should clear overnight, but widespread smoke is expected to linger. The low is 14 C.
Tuesday's forecast is mainly sunny with widespread smoke. Clouds move in by the afternoon bringing a 40 per cent chance of showers and the risk of a thunderstorm. High 21 C.
Wednesday's forecast is cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of showers and a high of 17 C.
It's not known when the wildfire smoke will clear out of the region. The smoke forecast on firesmoke.ca suggests smoky conditions could last into Wednesday afternoon.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Jackie Perez.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.