The air quality has dramatically improved in Montreal compared to Sunday when the city was listed as having the worst air quality in the world, according to an index on the subject that was published by IQAir.
The unprecedented forest fires that continue to burn in northern Quebec sent a thick blanket of smoke to the south as winds shifted.
The haze over the city led city officials to close many pools, playgrounds and splash pads all day Sunday and Monday morning.
Health experts say prolonged exposure to the fine particles in the smoky air can pose a health risk for some people.
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“When we’re in those really high levels, I think people are going to start to have to develop that reflex and say, ‘No, I feel fine but if I go for that jog, my lungs are loaded with particles and it was a bad idea,'” Dr. David Kaiser, from Montreal Public Health, told Global News.
Some people Global News spoke to limited their outdoor activity.
“I won’t be playing a full hour. I will do a half hour,” Ryan Hurst, a Montreal-West resident told Global News prior to playing tennis.
Meteorologists say the extreme weather conditions caused by climate change may spark more forest fires in the future, creating more bad air quality days.
“The warming temperatures going up as well as the precipitation patterns are changing and that can lead to devastating climate events like wildfires,” Gerald Cheng, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, told Global News.
Health experts are reminding people to stay aware when the air quality dramatically worsens and spend less time outdoors.
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