Toronto recorded the worst air quality among major cities worldwide on Wednesday morning as wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario drifted across the region.
According to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, Toronto topped its global air quality ranking as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. The city ranked ahead of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Delhi in India and Jerusalem.
The poor air quality comes as smoke from forest fires continues to affect much of southern Ontario.
Environment Canada issued a yellow air quality warning for the region, cautioning that smoky conditions could persist into Thursday in some areas.
Officials warned that health risks rise as smoke concentrations increase and advised residents to limit time outdoors. Outdoor sports, activities and events may need to be reduced or rescheduled depending on local conditions.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can cause symptoms such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches and mild coughing. Environment Canada said people experiencing more serious symptoms should seek medical assistance.
Those more vulnerable to wildfire smoke — including adults aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with existing illnesses or chronic health conditions and outdoor workers — are being advised to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities.
Residents are encouraged to monitor local air quality conditions as wildfire smoke continues to move across southern Ontario.
