Wildfires in Canada left Montreal blanketed with smog on Sunday, giving it the worst air quality of any major city in the world, according to a pollution monitor.
Montreal, the most populous city of Quebec province had unhealthy air, according to IQAir, which tracks pollution around the globe as hundreds of wildfires burned across the country.
Environment Canada issued smog warnings in several Quebec regions due to the fires, saying, “high concentrations of fine particulate matter are causing poor air quality and reduced visibilities,” with conditions to persist until Monday morning.
The agency urged residents to avoid outdoor activities and wear face masks if they must go outside.
Outdoor pools and sports areas have been closed and multiple outside events, including concerts and sports competitions, have been cancelled due to the unhealthy smog.
There are 80 active forest fires in Quebec, according to Quebec’s forest fire protection agency, SOPFEU, with several growing over the weekend due to dry weather and high temperatures.
“The extent of the smoke is making it particularly difficult for air tankers and helicopters to be effective,” SOPFEU added.
However, significant amount of rains expected on Monday and Tuesday in the northwest of province.
Across the country, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) lists more than 450 active fires, some 240 of which are deemed out of control.
Canada is experiencing an unprecedented year of fires, with more than 7.4 million hectares burned since the beginning of January.
