Smoke from wildfires burning in northwestern Ontario is expected to continue affecting Thunder Bay, even as temperatures cool to a high of 25 C on Thursday.
Environment Canada has an orange air quality warning in effect, meaning smoke levels are high enough to pose health risks. Warning preparedness meteorologist Peter Kimbell said the biggest concern is the poor air quality caused by fires northwest of the city. Young children, older adults and people with health conditions are urged to stay indoors when possible and wear a mask if they must go outside.
There may be some improvement on Friday if winds shift from the south and scattered showers develop. However, Kimbell said any relief is likely to be temporary because the wildfires are expected to continue, and smoke could return if winds change again.
Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) said the fire hazard will remain high to extreme across the region over the next 36 hours due to hot, dry and windy conditions. Fire crews, waterbombers and helicopters continue working to slow the spread of the fires, but several have grown significantly in recent days.
Kimbell said northwestern Ontario has been much drier than normal since May, creating ideal conditions for wildfires. While Friday’s rain could help, most areas are expected to receive only small amounts of precipitation. Thunderstorms may also spark new fires, and there is no sign of widespread rainfall in the forecast that would significantly reduce the wildfire risk.
