Forest fires raging in Canada have continued, causing major air quality issues in major cities in U.S. and Canada like New York, Ottawa, and Toronto.
If you open your weather app, you’ll notice that there’s a Severe Weather Alert by Environment and Climate Change Canada – City of Toronto for the GTA. ‘Severe’ is labeled as a significant threat to life or property that has been in place since yesterday. But according to CityNews, the air–filled with the scent of smoke and thick with haze–is expected to reach one of its highest levels on Thursday.
So when exactly are air quality levels meant to settle? Unfortunately, according to a statement by Environment and Climate Change Canada, this will continue into Friday, where air levels should hover around 7, and into the weekend. For an official statement and tips on how to keep safe, you can check it out here.
People in the high risk category –children, the elderly, pregnant women, lung and heart disease–should be taking the air concerns seriously and stay indoors as much as possible with windows closed and air conditioning or an air filter running. But everyone should try to stay indoors as much as possible.