Air quality could continue to deteriorate on Tuesday in Montreal and elsewhere in Quebec due to forest fires raging in several regions of the province, warns Environment Canada. Montrealers are thus invited to adapt their activities in order to take into account the higher concentration of pollutants in the air, which can have an impact on health.
Even if the sky took on an orange color Monday morning in the metropolis, the air quality remained acceptable at the start of the day. However, it began to deteriorate in the hours that followed. “We are starting to have observations of poor air quality in the Montreal region,” said Jean-Philippe Bégin, meteorologist at Environment Canada, in the middle of the day on Monday.
“Already, now, the air quality is starting to deteriorate and it will get worse in the next few hours”, also raised in an interview shortly before 5 p.m. Monday the Dr Stéphane Perron, medical specialist in public health. It is therefore to be expected that the levels of particles in the air will be “very high” on Tuesday, he warns.
Caution is advised
This decrease in air quality is linked to some 150 fires in progress in several regions of Quebec, in particular Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec and Mauricie. The displacement of the pollutants emitted by these fires has the effect of affecting the air quality in the neighboring regions and those to the south of these sources of fire, including the greater Montreal region and the Outaouais, among others.
Montreal Public Health published a “call for vigilance” on its website on Monday, recalling that smog can have health effects. In general, people in contact with these pollutants will only have mild symptoms, such as stinging eyes or a mild cough. However, people with asthma or heart problems may experience more serious symptoms, including heart palpitations.
Avoid outdoor activities❗️
Some people are more likely to be bothered by smoke such as young children, the elderly or people with heart or respiratory problems ???? https://t.co/8SPp93zH3A
— Dr. Mylène Drouin, Director of Public Health Mtl (@Santepub_Mtl) June 5, 2023
“What worries us is really those who have chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases”, indicates the Dr Stéphane Perron, who specifies that an increase in the number of transports by ambulance is often noted during episodes of smog. People at risk are thus invited to “avoid doing any outdoor activities to protect their health”, insists Alexandre Barris, toxicologist at the regional direction of public health in Montreal. ” It is important. »
In general, it is recommended that the population of areas that will be affected by these smog episodes close their doors and windows and avoid high-intensity physical activities outdoors. “Running wouldn’t be a good idea,” illustrates Jean-Philippe Bégin, of Environment Canada.
As for the duration of future smog episodes, it remains difficult to determine. The showers expected Tuesday in several regions of Quebec could help improve daytime air quality, but it could well deteriorate again afterwards if the wind from the north continues to bring pollutants from the regions. affected by forest fires, explains Mr. Bégin. Air quality could thus “fluctuate” – and therefore be unstable – in the coming days, he notes.
“Let’s hope the winds change and the fires go out. This is what will change the game, ”notes for his part the Dr Stephane Perron.