WILDFIRE SMOKE COVERS ONTARIO, AIR QUALITY WARNINGS ISSUED FOR US CITIES

Thu 16 July 2026:

Smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario has spread to other areas of the province, leading to severely poor air quality and decreased visibility. As a result, Environment Canada issued a high-level air quality warning on Wednesday.

The weather agency said smoke conditions are expected to continue, with possible improvement not expected until early Friday. It warned that everyone could face health effects during periods of heavy wildfire smoke, regardless of age or existing health conditions.

Residents have been advised to reduce time outdoors and postpone outdoor sports, activities and events. Officials said common symptoms of smoke exposure may include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches and mild coughing, while more serious reactions could include wheezing, chest pain and severe coughing.

Environment Canada reported an Air Quality Health Index reading of 10+, classified as “very high risk”, for Toronto. Forecasts suggested that hazardous conditions could persist through Thursday night.

IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, ranked Toronto as having the worst air quality across the globe, surpassing the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kinshasa and India’s New Delhi.

“The biggest contributor to Toronto’s spike in air pollution right now is wildfires, though the higher-than-average temperatures are also playing a role,” Armen Araradian of IQAir told the AFP news agency.

While this year’s wildfire season in Canada has been fairly muted compared with recent years, there are more than 800 active fires nationwide.

Environment Canada said vulnerable groups, including seniors, pregnant people, infants, young children, individuals with chronic illnesses and those who work outdoors, should take additional precautions and avoid strenuous outside activities.

The alert comes as wildfire smoke creates hazy skies across Ontario, including the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where residents have experienced deteriorating air conditions during a period of extreme heat.

CBC News reported that Toronto and surrounding areas are facing near-record temperatures during the heat wave, and that the combination of high heat and wildfire smoke is increasing health concerns for residents.

As Environment Canada recommended that people who must spend time outside limit their exposure, the warning also prompted cancellations of several outdoor events in the GTA.

The City of Toronto said it canceled Wednesday’s FIFA Fan Festival and the planned FIFA World Cup 2026 match broadcast at Nathan Phillips Square due to health and safety concerns in case of exposure to smoke conditions for extended periods.

The city also closed public wading pools for the remainder of the day, while the City of Vaughan canceled its Canada Celebrates the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal celebration at Assembly Park because of the air quality warning.

CTV News reported that an orange haze covered Toronto as wildfire smoke moved into the city, reducing visibility and creating poor air conditions across the region.

Meanwhile, wildfire smoke has also affected parts of the US. In the state of Minnesota, St. Louis County declared a state of emergency and a state of local disaster due to wildfire damage and the strain on public resources, according to ABC News.

The US Forest Service reported multiple wildfires burning in northern Minnesota, including several in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air quality alert across much of the state due to smoke from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada.

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NYC issued an alert over unhealthy air quality

Smoke from the wildfires also worsened air quality across the border in the US, with the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire particularly affected.

Authorities in New York City have issued an alert over unhealthy air quality, urging residents to reduce strenuous outdoor activity and take extra breaks if they are outside on Wednesday and Thursday.

The National Weather Service said smoke could linger until the end of the week.

“We probably haven’t seen the worst of it yet for New York City. We probably haven’t seen the worst of it yet for the Great Lakes and upstate, and New England yet either,” Dan Westervelt, Lamont associate research professor at Columbia University, told the Reuters news agency.

More than 80,000 people are expected to attend the FIFA World Cup final at an open-air stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, with another 50,000 planning to watch the game from New York City’s Central Park, where skies appeared hazy.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged people, especially those with health conditions, to exercise caution.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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