Special air quality statement lifted on Thursday for parts of southern Ontario

Environment Canada has ended a special air quality statement for parts of southern Ontario on Thursday, including the Greater Toronto Area, following pollution from wildfire smoke.

The special air quality statement was lifted just before 11 a.m. Thursday.

Conditions had notably improved since Wednesday, as Environment Canada said smoke plumes from forest fires in northeastern Ontario and Quebec had moved out south and east of the area.

Areas no longer under an air quality statement stretch along the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Niagara, Peterborough and Barrie areas.

1:45 Wildfire smoke’s effects on summer day camps

London and Windsor as well as Kingston to just outside of Ottawa are still under the alert.

Ottawa is under a smog warning as there are “higher concentrations” of particle matter from smoke, Environment Canada said.

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“High levels of air pollution due to smoke from forest fires continue. Elevated ground level ozone are possible today into Saturday,” the weather agency said in its statement.

“Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations.”

4:32 ‘Unsafe to be outdoors’: Wildfire smoke sparks air quality alerts for millions in Canada, U.S.

On Wednesday, Toronto had seen the worst air quality of major cities in the world as southern Ontario was blanketed by smoke from wildfires.

“The number briefly touched 300 which is very unhealthy to breathe in, especially for an extended period of time,” Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell said on Wednesday.

Here is a list of areas in Ontario that are no longer under the special air quality statement on Thursday:

• Dunnville – Caledonia – Haldimand, Ont.
• Brantford – County of Brant, Ont.
• City of Toronto, Ont.
• Uxbridge – Beaverton – Northern Durham Region, Ont.
• Newmarket – Georgina – Northern York Region, Ont.
• Pickering – Oshawa – Southern Durham Region, Ont.
• Vaughan – Richmond Hill – Markham, Ont.
• Midland – Coldwater – Orr Lake, Ont.
• Orillia – Lagoon City – Washago, Ont.
• Barrie – Collingwood – Hillsdale, Ont.
• South River – Burk’s Falls, Ont.
• Bayfield Inlet – Dunchurch, Ont.
• Huntsville – Baysville, Ont.
• Town of Parry Sound – Rosseau – Killbear Park, Ont.
• Port Carling – Port Severn, Ont.
• Bracebridge – Gravenhurst, Ont.
• Fenelon Falls – Balsam Lake Park – Northern Kawartha Lakes, Ont.
• Lindsay – Southern Kawartha Lakes, Ont.
• City of Hamilton, Ont.
• Bruce Peninsula – Sauble Beach – Tobermory, Ont.
• Owen Sound – Blue Mountains – Northern Grey County, Ont.
• Saugeen Shores – Kincardine – Southern Bruce County, Ont.
• Hanover – Dundalk – Southern Grey County, Ont.
• Mount Forest – Arthur – Northern Wellington County, Ont.
• Guelph – Erin – Southern Wellington County, Ont.
• Kitchener – Cambridge – Region of Waterloo, Ont.
• Innisfil – New Tecumseth – Angus, Ont.
• Shelburne – Mansfield – Northern Dufferin County, Ont.
• Orangeville – Grand Valley – Southern Dufferin County, Ont.
• Caledon, Ont.
• Mississauga – Brampton, Ont.
• Halton Hills – Milton, Ont.
•  Burlington – Oakville, Ont.
• West Nipissing – French River, Ont.
• North Bay – Powassan – Mattawa, Ont.