Air quality improves in Kingston, Ont., but could worsen again this weekend

An air quality warning for Kingston, Ont. was lifted on Friday, but wildfire smoke is expected to return this weekend. CTV’s Kimberley Johnson reports.

Wildfires continue to ravage northwestern Ontario, tearing through large swaths of land and displacing communities, and causing smog and poor air quality in the eastern regions of the province.

For much of Friday, Kingston remained under a Yellow Warning air quality warning for possible poor air quality and reduced visibility due to the smoke. The poor air quality eased in the afternoon, but officials are warning that could change.

Ahead of the advisory ending, cyclist Charlotte Akin was out, taking advantage of the sunny skies that could be seen in the city.

“I just decided to get out today because I probably won’t get a chance over the next couple of days because I’ve been inside,” she explains.

Akin says she wore a mask to the gym yesterday amid poor air quality and will continue to take precautions as needed.

“If it’s above, like a 6 or 7, I’ve been staying inside and just hunkering down.”

Environment Canada Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Geoff Coulson says that advisory could return to Kingston on Saturday morning.

“If one of the models I look at is right — if this plume of wildfire smoke works its way right through eastern Ontario. So even as far east as the Ottawa Valley, there is some potential on Saturday of deteriorating air quality conditions,” he explains.

But that depends on the weather — forcasted wind, rain and even severe thunderstorms could help ease smog.

“I’d say pretty much anybody in eastern Ontario should be on the alert for updated statements from Environment Canada about air quality and also the potential for severe thunderstorms on Saturday,” he says.

With nearly 200 wildfires blazing across northern Ontario, those like Debbie Hood say they will continue to monitor the situation here in the city. However Hood says she is thinking far more of those in affected northern communities.

“I feel more sorry for the people up north than I do us,” she says. “We can cope, but those people are in desperate, desperate situations. It’s awful for them.

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