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Wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario and Manitoba blanketed the GTA on Monday.聽Scroll through our live coverage below.聽
海角社区官网downgraded from 'air quality warning' to 'special air quality statement'
Environment Canada downgraded the City of 海角社区官网from an air quality warning to a special statement shortly after 3 p.m. on Monday.
Smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Manitoba is still causing poor air quality and reduced visibility, according to the updated statement.
The difference between a warning and statement depends on how much particulate matter (PM) is in the air and for how long, Environment Canada meteorologist Weiqing Zhang told the Star.
“When the PM concentration reaches 100 or above and lasts for more than six hours, we issue an air quality warning,” she explained. “When the PM concentration drops below 100 and is not expected to come back that high, we just put out a statement.”
This morning, Toronto’s air scored a 10+ or 鈥渧ery high risk鈥 on the weather agency’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), but that number sat at eight or “high risk” by Monday evening. By Friday, the air quality is expected to hit four, which would be considered a “moderate risk,” but still higher than Toronto’s average score of two or three.
Environment Canada is still encouraging people to limit their time outdoors as increasing smoke levels could increase the risk of health issues.
The weather agency encouraged residents to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible, but to prioritize staying cool during the concurrent heat event.
500 air conditioners for low-income seniors just a start and 'nowhere near enough': Mayor Chow
海角社区官网Mayor Olivia Chow gestures during a press conference at 海角社区官网City Hall.
Andrew Francis Wallace 海角社区官网StarMayor Olivia Chow said the 500 air conditioners given to low-income seniors by the city is a start but “nowhere near enough” in a media availability on Monday.
Applications have since closed, and seniors who are 65-years-old or older, live in a multi-unit residential building, belong to a low income household and not have access to in-house cooling, were eligible for the program. Just over 1,400 people applied.
The city launched the over $200,000 initiative in the spring and it had been outlined in the year鈥檚 budget priorities. The air conditioners were distributed through a lottery system that divided 海角社区官网into four community councils, executive director with Environment, Climate and Forestry, James Nowlan said.聽
He estimated that tens of thousands of air conditioners would be needed to help 海角社区官网residents.
Whether the initiative will be rolled out on a larger scale depends on the city’s upcoming budget and any possibly partnerships between 海角社区官网and the provincial or federal governments, Chow said.
Chow acknowledged people without air conditioning may be struggling to stay cool while the city is under a special air quality statement.
“I understand if the quality of air is not really good then it’s harder to open the door which makes it even worse,” she said. “I can understand the dilemma which is why we are installing the air conditioning units, but we need to find the financial means to get these air conditioners.”
Anybody who is receiving or is under the Ontario Disability Support Program and has been prescribed a cooling device can .
Correction — July 15, 2025
This article has been updated.聽James Nowlan is executive director, Environment, Climate and Forestry division, for the city of Toronto. An incorrect surname for him appeared in a previous version.
Where is the smoke in 海角社区官网coming from?
Toronto's air quality index was listed as very high risk on Monday as forest fire smoke pushed into the region.聽
Angelyn FrancisThe smoke that triggered an air quality warning in 海角社区官网is blowing in from fires burning in northwestern Ontario and Manitoba, Environment Canada meteorologist Weiqing Zhang told the Star.
She said the smoke is mainly coming from fires in Red Lake, Ont. and Pikangikum, Ont.
She added that some blazes in Manitoba could also be to blame.
Zhang said there are multiple wildfires burning close to the provincial border in places like Nopiming Provincial Park or near Victoria Beach, Man. and Bisette, Man.
She estimated the smoke took approximately 12 to 24 hours to travel from the wildfires to the Greater 海角社区官网Area.
Fires force Manitoba to prep for evacuees, alert issued for Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan
A C-130 Hercules aircraft is seen in Norway House, Man., Tuesday, June 3, 2025 as members of the Royal Canadian Air Force help evacuees.聽
David Lipnowski/The Canadian PressManitoba prepared Monday to find shelter for thousands more potential wildfire evacuees while in neighbouring Saskatchewan, out-of-control blazes shut down close to half of Prince Albert National Park, the province鈥檚 crown jewel summer destination.
Manitoba officials said Monday about 1,300 fire refugees are staying at two congregate shelters in Winnipeg.
Other shelters were set to open to provide space if necessary for 7,000 more. That includes 4,000 cot spaces at the city鈥檚 cavernous downtown RBC Convention Centre.
City of 海角社区官网extends certain pool hours as heat persists
Toronto’s swimming pools are open for extended hours during the current heat wave.
Paige Taylor White/海角社区官网Star file photoAs temperatures continue to swelter in Toronto, the city has extended the hours of certain outdoor public pools to help swimmers beat the heat.
Alex Duff, Fairbank, McGregor, Monarch, Smithfield and Sunnyside pools will be open until 11:45 p.m. on Monday. Halbert Park pool will also be open later than usual, until 9 p.m.
For those looking to stay out of the sun, the North 海角社区官网indoor pool will be open until 11:45 p.m. as well.
City of 海角社区官网offering free air conditioners to low-income seniors
At an editorial at the Star, Mayor Olivia Chow stood by her record, saying it takes time to fix the city’s problems.
Andrew Francis Wallace/海角社区官网Star file photoThe city is giving away 500 air conditioners to low-income seniors as they battle the ongoing heat wave and smoke warnings.
The initiative, which launched this spring, is a $200,000 dollar program that was outlined in the year’s budget priorities.
Eligible seniors have to be 65 or older, live in a multi-unit residential building, belong to a low income household, and not have access to in-house cooling, the city said. Anybody struggling can apply for cooling devices on .
Toronto's Air Quality has improved a bit: Environment Canada
海角社区官网and much of the GTA are under a special air quality statement as smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario pushes into the region.聽
Andrew Francis Wallace/海角社区官网StarToronto’s air quality is slowly getting better, according to Environment Canada.
The city now sits at a score of eight or “high risk” on the government agency’s Air Quality Health Index, dropping from the 10+ or “very high risk” label in place Monday morning.
On an average day, 海角社区官网normally sits at a two or three, Ian Hubbard, an Environment Canada meteorologist, told the Star. The smokey skies should clear up by Tuesday morning, Hubbard added.
海角社区官网has the second worst air quality in the world right now 鈥 and a new study says smog and wildfire smoke can damage your heart
Tourists take in the lack of view from the CN Tower. 海角社区官网has some of the world’s worst air quality on July 14.
R.J. Johnston/海角社区官网StarWith the city once again聽blanketed in wildfire smoke, experts are warning that long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to higher risk of heart failure.
The effects of air pollution on the heart are underscored in a recent study, which found that long-term exposure to air pollution, in particular fine particulate matter, was linked to higher levels of diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a type of heart scarring that can lead to higher risk of heart failure.
海角社区官网has now dropped to the sixth worst air quality among major worldwide cities
Wildfire smoke in the distance seen from Prince of Wales Park in Toronto, battling a heat warning and smoke from wildfires, July 14, 2025.聽
Andrew Francis Wallace/海角社区官网Star海角社区官网peaked at second place Monday morning in the ranking posted by IQAir, a Swiss air quality company.
By the afternoon, the city had fallen behind Baghdad, Iraq, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jakarta, Indonesia, Santiago, Chile and Manama, Bahrain.
Students from 海角社区官网say they are finding refuge from the extreme heat and poor air quality by staying indoors and out of direct sunlight. Environment Canada has issued an air quality warning for the city as wildfire smoke affected much of southern Ontario.
(July 14, 2025 / The Canadian Press)The company gave 海角社区官网an index score of 161 or “unhealthy,” saying the air is being choked by PM2.5 particles, a pollutant commonly found in wildfire smoke. It is particularly harmful because is it very small and can be absorbed into the bloodstream when breathing, IQAir said.
What should you do when there's an air quality warning
IQAir, a Swiss air technology company says downtown 海角社区官网is getting the brunt of the damage, giving the area an index score of 296 or “very unhealthy,” and brushing right up against it being hazardous for residents.
Richard Lautens/海角社区官网StarTorontonians are urged to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities, particularly if you’re experience a cough, runny nose, throat or eye irritation.
People aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health conditions and people who work outdoors are most at risk, Environment Canada says, adding that more serious symptoms such as chest pain or severe coughing should be treated as medical emergencies.
A view of the downtown 海角社区官网skyline shrouded with smoke amid declining air quality in the city.聽
R.J. Johnston/海角社区官网StarIf it comes down to choosing between avoiding smoky air or staying cool during an extreme heat event, the agency says people should prioritize keeping cool.
Beyond staying indoors, keeping the windows closed and using air filters, people can mask up if they’re headed outside, according to the city.聽
Heat wave
海角社区官网is still battling a heat warning Monday with temperatures expected to top out at 31 C, with a humidex of 40,聽.
The city says they have more than 500 cooling spaces around 海角社区官网for anybody looking for relief. The heat wave has extended hours at the North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York and East York civic centres, with all of them now closing at 9:30 p.m. The Metro Hall lobby area is also open 24/7 during the heat wave.聽
Many city pools have extended their hours as well, staying open until 11:45 p.m., a spokesperson told the Star.聽
How to read Environment Canada's air quality index and find out if you're at risk
A pedestrian near Riverdale Park on Wednesday afternoon. The Air Quality Health Index doesn鈥檛 always reflect the dangers from particulate matter due to wildfire smoke.
Richard Lautens/海角社区官网StarThe 海角社区官网skyline appears hazy amid declining air quality in the city due to wildfire smoke.
R.J. Johnston/海角社区官网StarWildfire season is upon us once again, and smoke is reducing air quality through swaths of the country. Environment Canada suggests people check the Air Quality Health Index daily to determine how much time to spend outside.
Here’s how to interpret the index:
How do I find out my local air quality reading?
Environment Canada’s air quality index is .
You can take a look at the ratings in communities across your province or territory.
A rating of 1-3 is low risk, 4-6 is moderate risk, 7-10 is high risk and over 10 is very high risk.
The risk designations can change regularly in the same community, Environment Canada says, so it’s important to keep checking the air quality forecast.
海角社区官网air quality one of the worst in the world as alert issued for city, GTA
Environment Canada encourages residents to stay indoors and reschedule outdoor activities.
Lance McMillan/海角社区官网Star海角社区官网has some of the worst air quality in the world Monday as smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario pushes into the city.
Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement saying winds are carrying smoke into the area, reducing visibility and pushing the聽聽to 10+, classified as “very聽high risk.”聽
“We are expecting things to gradually improve certainly by morning (Tuesday),” Ian Hubbard, an Environment Canada meteorologist told the Star. “We should see a lot of improvement.”
海角社区官网peaked at the second worst air quality in the world among major cities worldwide Monday morning, according to聽, a Swiss air technology company. By the afternoon the city fell to fifth placing behind Baghdad, Kinshaha, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jakarta, Indonesia and Santiago, Chile.
The company says downtown 海角社区官网is getting the brunt of the damage, giving the area an index score of 296 or “very unhealthy,” and brushing right up against it being hazardous for residents.
The Beaches and聽聽Greenwood and Danforth are the other areas being hit hard, according to IQAir.聽
“Wildfire smoke isn鈥檛 just haze 鈥 it鈥檚 toxic,”聽聽said, warning that carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals are choking city skies.聽
Fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5 is the biggest worry with wildfire smoke, according to Hubbard who says that the pollutant will sometimes stay high in the atmosphere away from danger but is now being brought down to the surface.聽
“We’re concerned about what’s mixing down to the surface, Hubbard said. “Sometimes they make for a very colourful sunset or sunrise but in this case, just the conditions of the atmosphere are actually pulling some of that down to the surface where we are.”
Air quality alerts issued for much of Central Canada, Manitoba amid wildfire smoke
Much of Central Canada, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been placed under special air quality statements or warnings due to smoke from wildfires, as Environment Canada advised residents to limit time outdoors and watch for smoke exposure symptoms.
(July 14, 2025 / The Canadian Press)Much of Central Canada and Manitoba were placed under special air quality statements or warnings early Monday morning amid smoke from wildfires, as Environment Canada advised residents to limit time outdoors and watch for smoke exposure symptoms.
The weather agency said swaths of Ontario and Quebec will have poor air quality and reduced visibility as westerly winds bring in smoke from forest fires into the area.
It said parts of southern Ontario, from Windsor to Ottawa, are under an air quality warning due to the smoke, adding the conditions may persist through the day and into Tuesday. The warning also applied to parts of southern Quebec, including Montreal and Trois-Rivieres.
The Air Quality Health Index rating for 海角社区官网was over 10, or “very high risk,” on Monday morning.
Southern Ontario and Quebec were also placed under heat warnings Monday, with Environment Canada warning of daytime highs of up to 32 C.
“When there is an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool,” it said.
There's no escaping wildfire smoke indoors, experts say 鈥 but it can help
Environment Canada issued a special statement urging Torontonians to limit their time outdoors Thursday. But there’s no escaping the smoke, even when indoors, experts say.
Chris Young/The Canadian Press file photoIt’s been a smoky summer for Toronto, with forest fires in the Prairies once again pushing the city’s聽Air Quality Health Index into the “high risk” category Thursday morning.
urging Torontonians to limit their time outdoors where possible. But there’s no escaping the smoke even when inside, experts tell the Star.
Most buildings are only able to keep about half聽鈥 40 to 60 per cent聽鈥 of outdoor air pollutants from coming inside, according to the research of Jeffrey Brook,聽an associate professor at the University of Toronto鈥檚 Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
As climate change advances, I cannot grasp the hugeness of the calamity. What once was notable is becoming a habit, a toxic, sinister pattern.
As climate change advances, I cannot grasp the hugeness of the calamity. What once was notable is becoming a habit, a toxic, sinister pattern.
That means, on especially smoky days, indoor air quality can still reach dangerous levels for susceptible individuals, Brook and other experts previously told the Star. These can include young children, pregnant people, elderly individuals and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions like asthma.
“There’s a lot of epidemiology research that says (pollutants released by wildfires) is a major killer,” Brook explained. “It’s one of the most in the world.”
And yet, our building codes and ventilation systems generally aren’t designed to prioritize smoke and other pollutants, experts say. As the climate crisis makes wildfires a more common occurrence, policymakers are being urged to consider long-term solutions to a worsening issue.
How wildfire smoke enters our homes
There are three main ways smoke (and other air pollutants) can infiltrate our homes, according to Amy Li, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Waterloo.
The first is through any large openings, like a door left ajar or an opened window. “This is why we often have the recommendation to close all windows and doors when we know the outdoor air is not good,” she explained.
The second pathway is less visible 鈥 leaks and cracks in a home’s enclosure through which pollutants can enter. “Buildings are not like a spaceship,” Li said. “There will always be some amount (of pollutants) getting into the building.”
Health experts are not currently concerned about air quality in 海角社区官网but warn prolonged exposure to moderate risk air may threaten health.
Health experts are not currently concerned about air quality in 海角社区官网but warn prolonged exposure to moderate risk air may threaten health.
The third is through mechanical ventilation systems that funnel outside air indoors, said Jeffrey Siegel, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto. This sort of system is present in “most non-residential buildings,” he said.
It’s why large commercial and institutional buildings, like schools, offices and community centres, are often more vulnerable to smoke, Li added, although it varies from building to building.
Older buildings also tend to have more cracks for pollutants to seep through and ventilation systems less able to keep smoke out, Li and Siegel explained. Meanwhile, single family homes and townhouses tend to be “leakier” compared to highrise apartment complexes, Li said.聽
Buildings without air conditioning are also at greater risk if windows are kept open to regulate high temperatures, Siegel added.
How to improve indoor air quality
The first rule of thumb is to close any doors and windows when it’s smoky out. You might even consider taping windows shut if leaks are present, Li said. “That’s not as protective as would be ideal because of the leaks in buildings 鈥 but it will help,”聽Siegel added.
But this may not be an option if your residence has no air conditioning and you’re weathering a period of extreme heat: “The health effects of extreme heat can be more serious than the effects of wildfire smoke,” Siegel said.
If your home has a central forced air system with a MERV 11-rated air filter or better, Siegel recommends keeping your fan going continuously if possible.聽MERV, or “minimum efficiency reporting values,” measures how efficiently a filter can capture particles; a MERV 13 to 15 rated filter is preferred, Siegel said.
Unlike many commercial buildings, most residences in Canada recirculate the indoor air instead of pumping in fresh air from the outside, Li said.
TORONTO - The Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes as wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.聽
TORONTO - The Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes as wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.聽
Siegel also recommended running portable air filters in crowded spaces, especially in areas with susceptible individuals. The Star previously outlined how to make an affordable filter using a fan, air filters, duct tape and cardboard.
If possible, Li recommends upgrading your home’s filtration system. Consult with a professional first, especially if your home’s ventilation system is old, as a high-efficiency filter might overwhelm the system and lead to drops in pressure, she said.
Finally, those at high risk can consider wearing a well-fitted respirator or mask, like an N95 mask, while indoors when it’s especially smoky, Siegel explained.
Preparing for a smoky future
Until recently, building filtration systems have placed less emphasis on keeping wildfire smoke and other environmental pollutants out, Brook noted. And while the COVID-19 pandemic saw a shift toward improving HVAC systems in buildings like schools, experts and advocates have noted it’s not sufficient to keep up with the increasing prevalence of wildfires.
Almost any upgrades to a building will also make it more resistant to wildfire smoke, Siegel said, from installing new windows to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning retrofits.
The problem is many of the buildings where these improvements are needed most, like schools, are unable to implement them due to budget and funding limitations, he continued.
For urbanites, there鈥檚 a new way to mark the calendar: the day the smoke reaches the city.
For urbanites, there鈥檚 a new way to mark the calendar: the day the smoke reaches the city.
“It’s an important area that we should be thinking about for investment, because the issue isn’t just wildfire smoke,” Siegel said. “We have increasing ambient air pollution just because of urbanization. We have a lot more construction, a lot more traffic, a lot of major roadways with schools and other buildings near them.”
There’s another hurdle. Brook noted that improved ventilation, air-conditioning and filtration systems may end up contributing to the climate crisis.
“If you just start expending more energy to make the indoor air clean, it can becomes a vicious cycle of more emissions if our energy is coming from dirty sources,” he said.
“We have to think, what’s our long-term strategy?” Brook continued. “Why have we stopped talking about how we’re going to meet carbon emission targets? How are we going to upgrade our housing and clean air while not increasing our energy usages?”
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