Wildfire smoke drifts into Montreal on Sunday, air quality ‘moderately bad’

Montreal's air quality was 'moderately bad' on Oct. 5, 2025 after smoke from wildfires north of the city drifted south. FILE PHOTO (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)

Many Montrealers woke up on Sunday smelling smoke in the air, as wildfires began burning north of the city on Saturday.

The provincial forest fire protection agency - SOPFEU - reports 18 wildfires burning in the province, with six of them near Saint-Jérôme and Saint-Sauveur, including one that began yesterday.

A fire that started on Friday, just west of Highway 25, is a 2.7-hectare blaze and is considered “being held.” One that started on Saturday, southwest of Maniwaki, is 0.7 hectares and not considered out of control.

Of the 18 Quebec fires, eight are considered “under control,” nine are “being held,” and one is “new.”

There are more fires burning to the west and east of Quebec. The Lake George wildfire in Nova Scotia remains out of control, and hundreds of fires are burning in BC and Manitoba.

Montreal currently has an air quality index in the 50s, or “moderately bad,” but that level is not high enough for Environment and Climate Change Canada to issue a smog or poor air quality warning.

The air quality will continue to be moderate until Wednesday, when precipitation will wash the pollution away.