Air quality in Oakville, Milton, Burlington the worst in Ontario

Oakville, Burlington and Milton are the three places that are getting hit hardest with poor air quality because of the wildfires in Northern Ontario and Quebec.

Ontario’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), shows the three Halton municipalities will carry the highest health risk on the scale at 10+ heading into this evening (June 28).

A 10+ rating is considered very high risk and could affect those with underlying health conditions as well as seniors and small children. For those in this group, they are being told by health officials to avoid strenuous outdoor activities

As for the general population, Ontario’s Environment Ministry has this to say: “Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.”

The conditions are expected to improve by Thursday when the AQHI will drop to 6 on the scale indicating moderate health risks.

Wind direction is blamed for pushing the smoke into parts of Southern Ontario.

In Burlington, City facilities including outdoor pools and sport fields remain open today but individual leagues or groups will determine if games or events take place based on the air quality.

Milton has imposed a ban on fires to keep the smoke levels down.

The AQHI is a tool designed to measure air quality in relation to health on a scale of 1 to 10. The higher the number, the greater the health risk associated with the air quality. It should be used to make decisions about protecting your health by controlling short-term exposure to air pollution