The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has a network of 38 outdoor air-monitoring stations across Ontario that collect real-time air pollution data. One of the air-monitoring stations is in Tiverton, in southern Bruce County.

Information from the air-monitoring stations is communicated to the public through Ontario's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI).

AQHI data collected from the Ministry’s monitoring stations is posted every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

AQHI data is available at the following link: Air Quality Ontario: Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)

Environment Canada also posts air quality warnings, as necessary, as part of its weather forecasts.

The AQHI can help you understand air quality and what it means to your health.

The AQHI measures air quality on a scale of 1 to 10+. The higher the number, the greater the health risk and need to take steps to protect your health.

The AQHI can change often throughout the day. It’s a good idea to check it a few times a day, especially before going outside.

Here’s a breakdown of the health messages for each Health Risk Level:

AQHI	Health Risk Level	Health Messages for At-Risk Population	Health Messages for General Population
1–3	Low	Enjoy your usual outdoor activities.	Ideal air quality for outdoor activities.
4–6	Moderate	Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you are experiencing symptoms.	No need to modify your usual outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms, such as coughing and throat irritation.
7–10	High	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy.	Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms, such as coughing and throat irritation.
10+	Very High	Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion.	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms, such as coughing and throat irritation.

While everyone’s health may be affected regardless of age or health status, the risk is highest for people:

• Aged 65 and older.
• Infants and young children. This is due to increased rate of breathing and tendency to spend more time outdoors.
• Pregnant people.
• People living with an existing illness or chronic health conditions. Those with certain respiratory conditions (e.g. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) may experience exacerbations of their condition with exposure to wildfire smoke. Affected individuals may have symptoms of increased shortness of breath, wheeze, or cough. Those with underlying cardiovascular conditions (e.g. heart failure, coronary artery disease) may be at risk for worsening of their condition with exposure to wildfire smoke. Some may experience transient symptoms of palpitations (heart racing), fatigue, dizziness, or other symptoms.
• People who work outside.
• People living in situations of lower socioeconomic status. People in this category are more likely to lack access to health care, interventions to clean indoor air, and may have poorer control of their underlying medical conditions.

Wildfire smoke can cause a variety of symptoms.

Milder and more common symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• A mild cough
• Production of mucus
• Nose, throat, eye and sinus irritation

In many cases, you can manage these symptoms without medical intervention.

More serious, but less common, symptoms of smoke exposure include:

• Dizziness
• Wheezing
• Chest pains
• Severe cough
• Asthma attacks
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations (irregular heartbeat)

If you experience any of these symptoms, talk to a healthcare provider or seek urgent medical attention.

Less commonly, exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Premature death
• Reproductive and developmental effects, such as low birth weight

If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911 and seek immediate medical care.

Yes.

It's not unusual to feel worried, stressed out, sad or isolated during a smoke event. Eating well, getting enough sleep, exercising indoors in a place with cleaner air and staying in contact with friends can help. If you're having trouble coping, you may want to consider seeking help from a:

• Friend
• Family member
• Community leader
• Healthcare provider

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline.

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of various substances. The most common substances found in wildfire smoke include particulates – mainly composed of organic and black carbon – gases, water vapour, chemicals, and metals.

The best way to protect yourself against the potentially harmful effects of wildfire smoke is by reducing your exposure to smoke and seeking cleaner air.

You should limit your time outdoors. If you experience symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure, consider reducing or stopping strenuous outdoor activities.

If you must spend time outdoors, a well-fitted respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH certified N95 or equivalent respirator) that does not allow air to pass through small openings between the mask and face, can help reduce your exposure to the fine particles in smoke.

These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health. However, respirators do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke. It is important to listen to your body and reduce or stop activities if you are experiencing symptoms.

When indoors, you can help to protect your indoor air from wildfire smoke by:

• Keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible. When there's an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool.
• Using the highest-quality air filter that your ventilation system can handle based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Using a certified portable air cleaner that can filter fine particles.
• Changing the filters of your ventilation system and portable air cleaner regularly during wildfire smoke events. Clogged filters aren't effective at removing smoke.
• Limiting the use of exhaust fans, such as bathroom fans.

Visit public spaces, such as community centres, libraries, and shopping malls, which tend to have cleaner, cooler indoor air.

Many municipalities designate public buildings as relief and/or cooling centres. You should check your municipality’s website or social media platforms – or give them a call – to confirm operating hours and for additional information.

Here is a list of relief centres in Grey-Bruce:

GREY COUNTY

• Owen Sound:
  • City Hall, 808 2nd Ave. E., Mon–Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, 1900 3rd Ave. E., Mon–Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre/YMCA Shared Corridor, 700 10th St. E., Mon–Fri: 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. | Sat–Sun: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library, 824 1st Ave. W., Mon: 1-8 p.m. | Tue-Thu: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• Georgian Bluffs:
  • Shallow Lake Community Centre
  • Council Chambers – Township Office, Grey Road 18 – Open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Hanover:
  • Hanover Civic Centre Main Lobby
  • Hanover Public Library,  Mon–Wed: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thurs–Fri: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Hanover P & H Centre, Mon & Fri: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. Tues–Thurs: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.

• Meaford:
  • Meaford Public Library, 11 Sykes St. N.
  • Meaford & St. Vincent Community Centre, 151 Collingwood St.
  • Meaford Hall, 12 Nelson St. E. (Advised to call; open some evening and weekend hours as well).
  • Meaford Museum.

• West Grey:
  • West Grey Public Library, Durham Branch, 453 Garafraxa St. S.
  • West Grey Public Library, Ayton Branch, 610 Alfred St., Ayton.
  • West Grey Public Library, Neustadt Branch, 511 Mill St.

• Southgate:
  • Ruth Hargrave Memorial Library, 80 Proton St. N., Dundalk.

BRUCE COUNTY

• Arran-Elderslie:
  • Chesley Public Library, 73 Second Ave, Chesley (519-363-2239).
  • Paisley Public Library, 274 Queen St., Paisley (519-353-7225).
  • Tara Public Library, 67 Younge St. N., Tara (519-934-2626).

• Brockton:
  • Walkerton Public Library, 253 Durham St. E., Walkerton (519-881-3240).
  • Cargill Public Library, 1012 Greenock Brant, Cargill (519-366-9990).
  • Walkerton Arena (290 Durham Street -Walkerton.

• Huron-Kinloss:
  • Lucknow Public Library, 526 Campbell St, Lucknow (519-528-3011).
  • Ripley Public Library, 23 Jessie St., Ripley (519-395-5919).

• Kincardine:
  • Kincardine Library, 727 Queen St., Kincardine (519-396-3289).
  • Tiverton Library, 56 King St., Tiverton (519-368-5655).

• Northern Bruce Peninsula:
  • Lion’s Head Public Library, 90 Main St., Lion’s Head (519-793-3844).
  • Tobermory Public Library, 22 Bay St., Tobermory (519-596-2446).

• Saugeen Shores:
  • Port Elgin Library, 708 Goderich St., Port Elgin.
  • Southampton Library, 215 High St, Southampton.

• South Bruce:
  • Mildmay Public Library, 51 Elora St., Mildmay (519-367-2814).
  • Teeswater Public Library, 2 Clinton St. S., Teeswater (519-392-6801).

• South Bruce Peninsula:
  • Sauble Beach Library, 27 Community Centre Dr., Sauble Beach.
  • Wiarton Library, 578 Brown St., Wiarton.

 

You can reduce indoor air pollution by avoiding:

• Smoking indoors.
• Vacuuming unless your vacuum is equipped with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
• Burning candles and incense.
• Frying or smoking foods.
• Using wood stoves.
• Using cleaning products that can emit high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

You can help to prevent outdoor air from getting inside by:

• Ensuring all windows are sealed and closed.
• Installing a high-quality air filter to help remove particles from coming indoors.
• If you have an HVAC system, using the highest rated MERV filter (rated 13 or higher) and set the fan to recirculation mode.
• Limiting the use of exhaust fans, when not cooking.

When an extreme heat event occurs with wildfire smoke, you should protect yourself from the heat first and foremost and prioritize keeping cool.

If you can't maintain cleaner air indoors or don't have air conditioning and it's too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, contact your local municipality for information on local cleaner air spaces that have air conditioning and filtered air.