***NOTE: YOU CAN CLICK ON THE MAP TO OPEN A ZOOMABLE IMAGE***

Southern Ontario continues to deal with lingering wildfire smoke from fires burning across the Prairies and Northern Ontario. While the thickest smoke has cleared out of the region for now, Thursday and Friday brought some of the worst air quality readings we've seen since at least 2023, with several areas reaching unhealthy levels.

As of Sunday evening, there’s still some smoke in the atmosphere - mainly in the upper levels, but we are seeing minor surface-level impacts. This is resulting in reduced air quality in certain parts of the province, although it’s not nearly as bad as it was a few days ago.

Air quality readings are sitting above 100 in parts of Southwestern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe, and sections of Northern Ontario. That level falls into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, which includes people with asthma, respiratory conditions, young children, and older adults.

If you’re part of a sensitive group, it’s a good idea to limit your time outdoors, keep your windows closed, and consider wearing a well-fitting N95 mask when you have to go outside. These masks can help reduce exposure to the fine particulate matter found in wildfire smoke.

Elsewhere across Southern Ontario, AQI readings are in the 50 to 100 range, which is considered moderate. That’s not a big concern for healthy individuals, but anyone who is sensitive to air pollution may want to avoid heavy outdoor activities like running or biking.

You might also notice a faint smoky smell in the air, but it's not expected to be too strong. Still, it’s a reminder that there’s pollution present, even if the skies don’t look especially hazy.

**UPPER LEVEL SMOKE CONCENTRATION** - MAP FROM WEATHERBELL

The smoke is expected to stick around overnight and into Monday morning, especially in the lower levels of the atmosphere. By Monday afternoon, we should begin to see some clearing closer to the surface, with air quality likely improving through the day.

Unfortunately, that improvement probably won’t last long. The latest forecast models show another plume of upper-level smoke moving into the region by late Monday. While these models currently suggest limited smoke near the surface, we’ve seen before that they often underestimate how much smoke actually mixes down. So we can’t rule out more air quality issues as the week goes on.

Looking ahead, additional wildfire smoke is a strong possibility, especially as fires continue to grow rapidly across Northwestern Ontario. One major concern right now is the fire near Sandy Lake First Nation, which has prompted a full evacuation of the community. That fire is expected to grow further and could become a major source of smoke for Southern Ontario in the days ahead.

Because of its closer proximity compared to fires in Western Canada, smoke from this fire has a better chance of settling closer to the ground by the time it reaches our region. That means more noticeable impacts, even for those outside of sensitive groups.

Some good news: recent rainfall has helped reduce the fire danger in parts of Ontario, Manitoba, and Northern Saskatchewan—regions that have been hit hard by wildfires over the past couple of weeks. This rain may help slow fire growth and support containment efforts, especially in areas where communities are at risk.

However, the same can’t be said for British Columbia, Alberta, and Southern Saskatchewan. These areas are still facing high to extreme fire danger levels, with dry conditions and tough firefighting environments.

Quebec is also showing some concerning signs, with several pockets of high to extreme fire risk. If wildfires do ignite there, it could add yet another smoke source for Southern Ontario in the coming days.

Over the weekend, Ontario experienced an early taste of late fall weather, with flurries making an appearance in parts of Northern Ontario. Meanwhile, out west, temperatures have been heating up, fuelling a resurgence of wildfire activity.

Now, this same weather pattern has shifted into Ontario, bringing rising temperatures along with increased wildfire smoke from out west including fires in Saskatchewan and Alberta. With a stagnant air mass in place, the smoke is expected to linger over the next few days.

The good news is that most of this smoke will remain high in the atmosphere, resulting in limited impacts on air quality. However, some minor smoke may reach the surface, which could affect those sensitive to air pollution. The most noticeable effect of the smoke will be at sunrise and sunset, creating a striking orange-red hue in the sky.

We began seeing smoke move into the region late Wednesday, and it’s expected to thicken overnight into Thursday. By sunrise, two pockets of heavy smoke are forecast over Southern and Northwestern Ontario.

Throughout Thursday, the smoke will continue to blanket the skies, with the densest areas concentrated over Northern, Central and Eastern Ontario. Expect a stunning sunset on Thursday evening—perfect for photography!

By Friday morning, the air mass will begin to shift westward, gradually clearing the smoke near the Manitoba border. However, Northeastern and Southern Ontario will likely remain under smoky conditions through Friday.

The heaviest smoke on Friday is expected along the Lake Superior and Georgian Bay shorelines.

Aside from the smoke, conditions will be ideal for this time of year, with above-average temperatures settling in across Ontario. This warm trend is expected to continue in the short term, with mild temperatures forecast into next week.