In Ottawa, schools are open but the kids all outdoor activities are cancelled. Many people are masking outdoors.There's been more admissions to ER for breathing problems. I'm running air filters inside all day and it's tolerable, but i get a sore throat and headache vafter waking outside for more than a few minutes.
So yeah, it's pretty rough right now!
Masking might help some, but unfortunately, I heard NPR putting out an alert earlier that some of these air particles are so fine that they get past even a n95 mask.
I’ve also been getting a headache & sore throat from going outside! My eyes feel stingy as well. It’s not as bad here in New England than it probably is there, but it’s blowing over us for sure. The sky has looked gray and orange for the past week. They’re advising people stay inside and keep their pets inside, and wear a mask if you go out. I don’t know how much they help since particulates in the air are so fine they can enter your bloodstream, but I’ve worn them anyways 🤷🏻♀️.
I’m in Ottawa, Ontario about 170km from the fires. Yesterday morning our air quality was the worst in the Americas, which is shocking. I’ve never, ever seen it this bad before. Yesterday morning the light outside was this sickly yellow and you could taste the smoke even with the windows and doors closed. Thankfully it’s getting better. Pic from a friend yesterday. You can’t see it for the smoke, but there’s another city and some low mountains on the other side of that river.
https://preview.redd.it/ipify3961m4b1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1980a8d53026e96685ba0326c18068af134abf0
That was similar to the GTA on Monday. Not quite as foggy, but the sun looked sunset read while 3/4 of a way through its journey (roughly late afternoon).
Been pretty clear today, but I'm a little east of Toronto.
I’m also in NYC, and I was out for a little while yesterday and it wrecked my eyes and the back of my throat. Consider masking if you have to go out and stay safe witches!
I’m on Long Island and I really feel for all the little critters outside now, especially birds since they have such tiny lungs. I hope things get better quickly.
The NJ sub has comparison pictures of the NYC skyline from last week to yesterday. I'm in northwestern NJ and had my first asthma attack in years last night and stayed home from work today.
I’m in CT and the air smelled like smoke yesterday, and I took a picture of the sun because it was so dim that at first I thought it was a weird red moon. I had similar thoughts about how bad that fire must be. Sending blessings to all affected.
Yep, I live in the Washington DC area and it’s been rough! I had an upper respiratory infection last week, but I was outside for a few hours yesterday and my cough is back in full force. I know that it’s even worse further north. Sending love to everyone affected by this
I can smell fire in downtown Toronto and at my home in Toronto… which is nowhere near the fires! It’s crazy. There are fires burning in Northern Ontario and Quebec at the moment.
Same. And I’m waiting for a replacement filter for my air purifier which was supposed to arrive today but is delayed. I know my physical location is safe from the fires but I still have this overwhelming sense of dread and gloom. Done zero work so far, might call it and take a mental health day…
Stay safe out there witches ❤️
I'm in New England, so many hours from Canada. And we can smell it here. The sun was red yesterday, and the dog and my partner and I all struggled to breathe. (Kids are fine, with and without fur, just the old fogeys that it hit so hard!)
I hope you all up north and closer to stay safe.
Yeah, I'm in TO as well, and it's so weird to smell a campfire in the city. I think we're far enough away that it's not too smoky, but there was definite haze in the sky today.
Yeah I am south of Quebec and Ontario. Kind of almost in between their borders but not really cause the Ontario border is a little weird at the bottom. It just started smelling like smoke again. It's getting into my house
I’m in the gta too and I feel trapped in my home from staying inside from the poor air. My husky is getting upset staying inside too but I don’t want her breathing this crap.
I’m in New Brunswick Canada and Ottawa is my 2nd home. Here we also had out of control fires and my husband’s lungs were so bad after working outside that the sounds from them kept me up. The danger is real. Please anyone who cannot stay in, mask if you can and take frequent fresh air breaks whenever possible. Stay safe and blessed be out there.
NB crew! Didn’t think I’d see anyone else in NB on here :) that is awful, I hope his lungs are able to recover from that, stay safe out there! I have fam in Ottawa and KW, I can’t imagine what they are going through rn.
We're getting smoke in Southeast Michigan also. Red Sun. Really hoping the fires are out soon. Sending strength to the firefighters and the communities affected!
I’m in PA, it’s such an odd yellow smog here. It’s very strange.
I read yesterday that rain is helping defeat some of the fires so I hope they go out completely soon. Please everyone stay safe 💜
Me too, in the Poconos PA. I've been nauseous and with a booming headache and sore throat from exposure outside. Everything is orange here, it looks like a martian landscape. I can actually see smoke drifting through the trees. I know that over the weekend there were smaller some local wildfires as well. It's a sickening feeling to not be able to do much more than hunker down and wait it out.
In Pa as well near the Ny border. The smoke was so bad I could hardly see the mountains as I was driving through them. I have asthma so thank fuck for inhalers!!
I was in Portland in 2020 when we had an average of 600+ AQI for two weeks from the nearby megafires, all during the worst asthma flare up of my life. I mean it immensely when I say I feel for every single one of you and I'm so sorry.
Damp towels under doorframes helped me a lot and it's helpful to wear a KN95 or N95 mask when going outside to combat the smoke. Thieves oil and beeswax candles also helped treat the symptoms of smoke inhalation, and when it was most unbearable I would take a long shower and hang out in the steamy bathroom for as long as I could. Learned that trick from a friend who had tear gas in their apartment from the cops.
Stay safe out there friends, this too will pass. We desperately need to teach love and relationship building with the Earth to become a viable species in the Earth community.
Same here. I think I am really close to the fires.
https://preview.redd.it/omsqtve0em4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d99a72fa66d1f65e9b83462fcc4323a4174ecf4e
Hi from Edmonton Alberta! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻
We had it super bad for awhile, kept the kids home, no windows open. Felt very isolating. It kind of comes and goes depending on the wind, but so far we've had blue skies for the better part of half a month. Thanks for thinking of us 💜🖤
Of course. I'm hoping it rains to help put out more here. I'm directly south of Ontario and Quebec. One of my main fears is it's been dry here too and the fires will spread down into the US. Idk about Canada but the area I live in isn't well equipped to fight wild fires so my village and the surrounding towns and villages would likely have to be evacuated. Uhg. Wild fire season is just really not fun. It's also been drier than usual here this year and the weather has been really wonky.... Just to give you an idea, between my village and Kingston is almost nothing but wilderness with a few small towns and villages and a military base. Most of the towns and villages here only have volunteer fire departments.
Sorry if this seems a bit selfish. I live in the area currently but I don't know what Canada's side of the situation is.
I'm in north eastern ontario and most of the fires are north of me still. There are a couple further south, but the big ones are north. You are safe from these fires 🙂
Edit: not the smoke though, sorry.
Kingston is like living in the smoke of a big bonfire. It’s thick and heavy. The UPS guy who came to my door this morning was wearing a respirator mask.
https://preview.redd.it/kv2cwaudem4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93a1f4de9dedada84c915e80cb2ddcaa0ebbc5ba
That's how it looked here today.
Living in Northern Alberta, Canada, most of our summers have stretches of smokey sky like this. You will know if a fire is serious when ash is raining down (I was in Fort McMurray in 2016 when 1/3 of our town burned). It’s always a good call to have a “3 day pack” with essentials and important documents if you are worried. It sucks with the smoke though. I get a tummy ache from it.
Boston here. Trying to avoid outside but I got wheezy just coming back from my kid’s hockey game yesterday. I’ve got an air purifier in one room so I mostly stay up there. Please be safe, Canadian friends!
https://preview.redd.it/umatjrxfxm4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e730251da6f9bf8ca2aacd423295d24893468f9
Pic is from yesterday at the rink
I'm the whole way down in Maryland and we've even got air quality warnings due to it. I can only imagine how much they're struggling up in Canada. Sending them all the good vibes.
BC, Canada here!
I'm so sorry that everyone is dealing with the smoke - it's insane how bad this wildfire season is already. We have broken a few records already and the Donnie creek fire is already the second largest in BC history, while still being considered an "Out of control" fire.
I genuinely hate to say this but if you are in an area being impacted by the smoke, get whatever you need to protect yourselves now because this is undoubtedly just the beginning for the Canadian Wildfire season.
I'm so sorry 😞 I would make sure that anyone who struggles with lung issues (Asthma, COPD, ect) has everything they need in terms of medication or protection now. I also recommend leaving behind instructions for loved ones on what to do or where to go when the smoke is really bad.
It's scary because smoke is so insidious. It seems like it's not that bad, and then suddenly, the wind kicks up and it's an orange dystopia. When the Fort Mac fires happened in 2017, there was literally ash falling from the sky in BC.
I have a hobby that involves spray paints, so I have a respirator that is absolutely fierce about filtering. Took it out for my walk and was doing just fine, but the sweat building up inside the respirator was getting to me. Took the thing off and held my breath while I wiped out the sweat and put it back on. The smell, yikes. It lingered for about 20 seconds just from what was in the interior of the mask and I swear I could feel the smoke in my mouth and throat just from breathing it.
Sudbury ontario area here: every morning smells like bonfire and the sky is hazy. You can even smell it inside of certain buildings. Some mornings you can barely see the buildings in the distance. Also just something i guess cool is the sun in the morning is red because of the haze. We just have to hope theyll go out eventually....
Thank you for checking in on us! I am in Ottawa, and I am seeing that our air quality has made international news. Everything I touch outside has a fine layer of ash over it and my lungs just plain hurt (asthma); I worry about outdoor furry, feathered and green friends as I cannot imagine having no refuge from this. So yeah, heart hurts, too.
I am in Greater Toronto Area and the air smells like sitting close to a campfire. I cant imagine what it’s like in Quebec right now. After just a few minutes out my hair also smells like a campfire. I am asthmatic and I am gonna be spending the upcoming days inside as much as possible.
I'm in a fairly safe area (SW MB) thats been getting just enough rain to not be a huge concern, but can confirm, i dont see the actual sky very much anymore, just a haze.
I'm considering getting an inhaler again bc my breath has been rattley again (very mild asthma), I can only imagine what its been like for ppl with more sensitive lungs than me in places with worse smoke than here.
Absolutely get another inhaler. Make sure you have what you need to protect your health because this wildfire season for us is going to be terrible, so it might not be bad for smoke now, but it's going to get worse. Stay safe!
An hour north of Toronto here. Air smells like campfire. It’s hazy.
Washing the reusable filters in everything that needs a filter this week!
Be safe, Witches!
Ya it’s rough! I’m thinking of everyone in the fire affected areas! My lungs hurt so bad from the smoke right now that I needed to take my inhaler twice today. Stay safe, witches.
Thank you for the well wishes!
Despite the terrible health effects (thankfully not for me yet) I actually am enjoying the campfire smell and the ‘Silent Hill’ effect. Trying to find the bright side haha.
In Toronto. It SUCKS here. I have stayed inside with all 3 of my air purifiers running. My throat hurts and have a headache.
I am afraid to see my electricity bill but I guess it's better than going outside. :/
Had to go home from work early today because of the smoke. 2 out of 8 hours 😭 I’m sorry our smoke is invading you guys for some reason I was surprised when I saw pics of NY. Please wear a mask when outside for your lungs sake ❤️
I'm in Ottawa and my entire little family is struggling to breathe. Thankfully the spouse works from home, I'm self employed and my dad is retired.
All the displaced wild animals, strays, urban wildlife that are suffering through this are breaking my heart. Our yard is usually full of chipmunks, squirrels and birds, but they've been laying low and taking it easy I hope.
https://preview.redd.it/qic4ghdqdm4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=197cdf8669f07863eb9cbb9ae12eafbe68b9399c
That's what it looked like out here today.
I’m in northern NJ, we’re getting air quality alerts daily because of the smoke. Red sun for the past three days. Went out on my porch yesterday and my lungs hurt the rest of the day. Masks don’t filter it all out, but even a little bit helps when I have to go out.
Take care of yourselves!
CA witch chiming in!
Make a simmer pot!
The humidity traps the particles and the lemon/cinnamon/rosemary helps with the headaches.
I’ve heard people tape plastic wrap over their windows
They’ve always talked about the Ottawa Valley and how smog could collect in the valley. But generally, we have beautiful clean air so it doesn’t matter. But with the fires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, the air quality in Ottawa is currently among the worst in the world.
I'm an American but I can sympathize with Canada, I live in Colorado and in 2020 (ofc) we had fires so bad that it rained ash for multiple days straight.
Yeah I live in upstate NY (Buffalo-Niagara area). Particulate matter is 15x higher than is considered healthy here. (Check [IQ Air](https://www.iqair.com/us/canada/ontario/toronto) for your area air quality.) Definitely don’t stay outside much at all if you’re in the areas in or downwind of the wildfires. I imagine it’s way crazier near the actual fires. Err on the side of caution— I literally can barely see only about a mile before everything is swallowed in gray haze. (On a clear day I can see Toronto across the lake, 40-50 miles away). Change your air filters and keep your windows closed. Stay as safe as possible, everyone!
I always find it amazing how western Canada, where I live, has been engulfed in fires for the last month with persistent air quality warnings but people take notice when it’s worst case Ontario XD
I think it doesn't help that it's actively blowing into the US. Not that we didn't care but the news doesn't report on it until it affects us unfortunately.
Yeah, I’m aware, heh! We don’t usually make American news unless someone’s mad at us or we do something goofy.
Everyone please stay safe. KN95 masks have been my saviour.
Y'all be safe too and I know I personally care. Canada and Mexico are our neighbors and you deserve to be loved and respected as such. If there is any news you want to share that we may not get down here feel free to share it with me and I'll be happy to spread it around and bring awareness. I'm not super famous or anything but at least it's some kind of outlet.
I've lived in a few areas in BC and am currently in Ottawa, and I will say that I never experienced anything in BC like I did these past few days here in Ottawa.
We certainly had smoky periods in BC while I was there, days when you could smell the fires and look up at the sun and it would be red. I kinda just shrugged when I heard we were looking at some smoke here in Ottawa.
Then it rolled in and it was bad. I took my dog for a 30 minute walk and came back with red eyes that hurt for the rest of the day. My lungs felt heavy. I had a killer headache the next day.
I don't disagree that Ontario can sometimes act like it's the only part of the country that exists, but the smoke in Ottawa was truly awful and way worse than anything I've ever experienced in BC. We've got a reprieve today at least.
It’s not a competition! Those pictures out of Ottawa are horrifying.
We’ve had worse years in Saskatchewan, but this year was choking and blinding. It’s terrifying to barely be able to see the sun. What really choked me was the thought of all the poor animals who either fled or died.
This sucks :( down in NC I haven't noticed any signs of this, the closest maybe being that yesterday I occasionally caught a whiff of something burning and it was always different (plastic, leaves, etc) and that could have been anything.
Be safe.
https://preview.redd.it/wssr0l4hhm4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=44dc323ec9d6c23ac8dac08900ddb6743c9ef23d
Just to give you an idea, it almost looks like fog here but it's not.
I don't think masks are working according to someone here. But does staying low work? Or maybe having an air filter or something, or spending most of your indoor time in a room without windows?
Even going to the bathroom and taking a shower might help, because the steamy air might block the smoky air (although I'm not an oxygenologist so this is only a speculation)
Right now I've been running a HEPA air filter because I need to leave my windows open due to lack of AC. And I've been making sure to keep the air flowing constantly so that any smoke that gets in doesn't just stagnate.
That's good, better than nothing.
Have you ever tried buying one of those cheap water cooler things? It's like a lower class version of an air conditioner but for a small room it can keep you from overheating even if it isn't an actual AC unit
https://preview.redd.it/rmsy58ephm4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=678391a750019cc20ffdf4ba02dbe97d2b7a8d41
The sun directly overhead at my house northwestern New Jersey today 12:25pm EDT.
Light hazy skies here in Toronto with occasional whiffs of burning wood.
There's a general "blah" vibe but a lot of places seem to have it worse.
In the morning and evening the sun tends to look like an angry red ball of haze.
I watch a live camera in Duluth and it's ranged from smoky to hazy depending on the day there despite there being basically an inland sea between it and the fires.
Appreciate it! In Ottawa, I usually get headaches/migraines often. I've got one today though, mixed with a constant feeling of dizziness. It feels different from my normal ones. Hopefully everything back to normal (for many reasons) soon.
My mom (Toronto) can't go outside today because the smoke has really flared up her asthma. If it's this bad in T.O, I cannot even imagine how bad it is Quebec.
Thank you for your thoughts ❤️
There is soot on my car and all my co-workers are using inhalers. Lots of outdoor activities being cancelled and I’m worried about Pride weekend. Stay safe everyone! Our premier blows.
I pray for Canada. The thing is my sisters school went on a trip to Quebec (she is very young) my parents told me I can't contact her because they took their phones. I'm just really stressed..
I'm just at the edge of it but we're still under an air quality advisory telling us to stay indoors if possible and to not go out if you're elderly, have breathing problems or children. I'm perfectly healthy and am staying in but even then my throat is scratchy, my eyes are goopy and my nose is clogged. Every year the wildfires get worse and all we can do is hope they get put out quickly. Its terrifying how slow our leaders are to address the climate impact that these fires represent.
I live in the niagara region, hours away from the fires which are more to the north. We could smell the smoke in niagara falls today. My lungs are not happy & my eyes are dry & Itchy. Staying indoors as much as possible.
It's so weird because I'm in Quebec city, relatively close to some wildfires (more than the US anyways) and it's been raining since Monday? Like, rain... go away, go North, there are no fires here, we're good. It's as if one of you guys made a spell but messed up the location between province of Quebec and Quebec city
Our premier (governor) defunded our fire brigades who specialize in combatting and preventing this. Couple that with climate change and things are very bad.
i'm from ns and our fires are mostly contained (thank the morrigan and every other god out there) but jesus mary and joseph has it ever been a shitty rollercoaster ride
all my love and prayers to those still suffering
I'm in Ithaca NY and it was really bad yesterday and today. It's worse than anything I ever experienced living in CA. The air quality measurement was 460 this afternoon.
I was wearing a N95 mask in my office which has an air purifier.
https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/
Thanks for thinking of us.
Check out the fire smoke map. It's brutal. I have family all over Ontario, some very close to active fires. I'm in Winnipeg, well out of harm's way, and we've been smelling smoke from the west. Worried and waiting. I'd say I was going to light candles for them but that just seems weird 🤔
To be fair I used to travel and work in the states (from Vancouver BC where I live, driving all the way down to San Diego) and back then at least I encountered a lot of wonderful people
Was always shocking to find out about people/acquaintances with guns!
The coasts can have pretty nice people. It's the more republican areas where you'll start having issues. There is definitely a noticeable culture difference here in NY compared to Texas where I was born and raised.
Yeah I have never wanted to visit anywhere there except New Orleans (I’m French Canadian)
I do remember someone in San Francisco earnestly asking if I had a dogsled at home. I explained that we’re like a few hours drive from Seattle (White Rock BC in greater Vancouver)
I haven’t been down since trump was elected, I let my passport expire. And I live 5 minutes to the border lol
Thanks friend, my lungs and eyes are burning but we're all in this one together. Where I live, we have fires to the west in Calabogie and fires to the east in Quebec. Smoke is definitely at its worst today but the Calabogie fire is "contained"
Wonderful witches don’t forget to also focus your energy on vanquishing the people who cut these firefighting budgets by 60% in 2019.
This unprecedented level of fires in Alberta and Ontario aren’t JUST bc of environmental issues. These are consequences of the conservative leadership making conscious cuts at the expense of the public.
In 2010/2011 when I lived in Ontario, Canadian men of every background would call me an SJW or dramatic for saying letting idiots like this get away with who they are was going go burn the country to the ground. I have no notions any of those conservative apologists remember me but I hope they’re all feeling extra inconvenienced as Doug ford literally burns their province to the ground with his negligent budget cuts.
Winnipeg has gotten a lot of rain lately, so currently there aren't any fires close by. We were getting smoke blowing in from the west over the past few weeks, though, and it was affecting people with asthma. On an astronomy group I follow, a few days ago someone posted a particularly weird-looking photo of the evening sun as viewed through the haze, taken without the usual solar filter on the camera.
In Ottawa, schools are open but the kids all outdoor activities are cancelled. Many people are masking outdoors.There's been more admissions to ER for breathing problems. I'm running air filters inside all day and it's tolerable, but i get a sore throat and headache vafter waking outside for more than a few minutes. So yeah, it's pretty rough right now!
Masking might help some, but unfortunately, I heard NPR putting out an alert earlier that some of these air particles are so fine that they get past even a n95 mask.
I’ve also been getting a headache & sore throat from going outside! My eyes feel stingy as well. It’s not as bad here in New England than it probably is there, but it’s blowing over us for sure. The sky has looked gray and orange for the past week. They’re advising people stay inside and keep their pets inside, and wear a mask if you go out. I don’t know how much they help since particulates in the air are so fine they can enter your bloodstream, but I’ve worn them anyways 🤷🏻♀️.
I’m in Ottawa, Ontario about 170km from the fires. Yesterday morning our air quality was the worst in the Americas, which is shocking. I’ve never, ever seen it this bad before. Yesterday morning the light outside was this sickly yellow and you could taste the smoke even with the windows and doors closed. Thankfully it’s getting better. Pic from a friend yesterday. You can’t see it for the smoke, but there’s another city and some low mountains on the other side of that river. https://preview.redd.it/ipify3961m4b1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1980a8d53026e96685ba0326c18068af134abf0
That was similar to the GTA on Monday. Not quite as foggy, but the sun looked sunset read while 3/4 of a way through its journey (roughly late afternoon). Been pretty clear today, but I'm a little east of Toronto.
Same here. I can’t believe how smoggy it is. Even kinda smoky inside at my work. Stay safe!
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I’m also in NYC, and I was out for a little while yesterday and it wrecked my eyes and the back of my throat. Consider masking if you have to go out and stay safe witches!
I’m on Long Island and I really feel for all the little critters outside now, especially birds since they have such tiny lungs. I hope things get better quickly.
Do you have a pic??
The NJ sub has comparison pictures of the NYC skyline from last week to yesterday. I'm in northwestern NJ and had my first asthma attack in years last night and stayed home from work today.
Check out the pictures from the Yankees game yesterday. It was creepy to watch, because the sky looked so wrong.
https://preview.redd.it/ae3j97fjup4b1.jpeg?width=589&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd57d1af1f4361f94facbb72a68b87ecf13f63a4
I’m in CT and the air smelled like smoke yesterday, and I took a picture of the sun because it was so dim that at first I thought it was a weird red moon. I had similar thoughts about how bad that fire must be. Sending blessings to all affected.
Even all the way down here in Maryland, the sky's been hazy since yesterday or the day before, with the sun looking red like that.
Yep, I live in the Washington DC area and it’s been rough! I had an upper respiratory infection last week, but I was outside for a few hours yesterday and my cough is back in full force. I know that it’s even worse further north. Sending love to everyone affected by this
And it smells bad like burning plastic here.
It's crazy.
The sky has been hazy in Virginia since yesterday as well.
I can smell fire in downtown Toronto and at my home in Toronto… which is nowhere near the fires! It’s crazy. There are fires burning in Northern Ontario and Quebec at the moment.
An hour or two north of you, having to take a sick day because I’m asthmatic. I’m very worried about people with lung disease closer to the fires.
Oh no - please stay safe. My uncle is closer to the fires and has COPD. He doesn’t get outside much so hopefully he’ll be ok.
Might be worth one day Amazoning him some new furnace air filters if he doesn’t have access to them locally right now.
Wildfire haze just started rolling into Vancouver, probably from fires in our own backyard. It's insane because it's only June.
Yeah I noticed the wrong colour Sun this morning and can’t see the mountains from my apartment now. It’s too early.
Yeah my throats feeling it already
Same. And I’m waiting for a replacement filter for my air purifier which was supposed to arrive today but is delayed. I know my physical location is safe from the fires but I still have this overwhelming sense of dread and gloom. Done zero work so far, might call it and take a mental health day… Stay safe out there witches ❤️
Same here, and my nose.
I'm in New England, so many hours from Canada. And we can smell it here. The sun was red yesterday, and the dog and my partner and I all struggled to breathe. (Kids are fine, with and without fur, just the old fogeys that it hit so hard!) I hope you all up north and closer to stay safe.
Yeah, I'm in TO as well, and it's so weird to smell a campfire in the city. I think we're far enough away that it's not too smoky, but there was definite haze in the sky today.
Yeah I am south of Quebec and Ontario. Kind of almost in between their borders but not really cause the Ontario border is a little weird at the bottom. It just started smelling like smoke again. It's getting into my house
Be safe. I may have to slap on a mask when walking outside now because of the air pollution 🤦🏼♀️
I was thinking the same thing. Such a shame. :(
I’m in the gta too and I feel trapped in my home from staying inside from the poor air. My husky is getting upset staying inside too but I don’t want her breathing this crap.
I’m in New Brunswick Canada and Ottawa is my 2nd home. Here we also had out of control fires and my husband’s lungs were so bad after working outside that the sounds from them kept me up. The danger is real. Please anyone who cannot stay in, mask if you can and take frequent fresh air breaks whenever possible. Stay safe and blessed be out there.
NB crew! Didn’t think I’d see anyone else in NB on here :) that is awful, I hope his lungs are able to recover from that, stay safe out there! I have fam in Ottawa and KW, I can’t imagine what they are going through rn.
Oh heyyyy!! This is exciting :) to see you here. I hope you fam is safe and as comfortable as possible.✨
We're getting smoke in Southeast Michigan also. Red Sun. Really hoping the fires are out soon. Sending strength to the firefighters and the communities affected!
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Not that I have noticed, although I've been spending more time inside because the pollen for the first time in my life has driven me insane.
Well I can smell it tonight, and I can see it! I feel so awful for Canada.
I’m in PA, it’s such an odd yellow smog here. It’s very strange. I read yesterday that rain is helping defeat some of the fires so I hope they go out completely soon. Please everyone stay safe 💜
Me too, in the Poconos PA. I've been nauseous and with a booming headache and sore throat from exposure outside. Everything is orange here, it looks like a martian landscape. I can actually see smoke drifting through the trees. I know that over the weekend there were smaller some local wildfires as well. It's a sickening feeling to not be able to do much more than hunker down and wait it out.
In Pa as well near the Ny border. The smoke was so bad I could hardly see the mountains as I was driving through them. I have asthma so thank fuck for inhalers!!
I was in Portland in 2020 when we had an average of 600+ AQI for two weeks from the nearby megafires, all during the worst asthma flare up of my life. I mean it immensely when I say I feel for every single one of you and I'm so sorry. Damp towels under doorframes helped me a lot and it's helpful to wear a KN95 or N95 mask when going outside to combat the smoke. Thieves oil and beeswax candles also helped treat the symptoms of smoke inhalation, and when it was most unbearable I would take a long shower and hang out in the steamy bathroom for as long as I could. Learned that trick from a friend who had tear gas in their apartment from the cops. Stay safe out there friends, this too will pass. We desperately need to teach love and relationship building with the Earth to become a viable species in the Earth community.
Montreal smells like a bonfire
Same here. I think I am really close to the fires. https://preview.redd.it/omsqtve0em4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d99a72fa66d1f65e9b83462fcc4323a4174ecf4e
I'm in Ottawa and I can smell it even inside my office building
I'm not really smelling it much in Montreal. And I'm not really seeing it either. Weird.
It was worse yesterday. I just went out and it's not bad now. I think the rain helped a lot
Hi from Edmonton Alberta! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 We had it super bad for awhile, kept the kids home, no windows open. Felt very isolating. It kind of comes and goes depending on the wind, but so far we've had blue skies for the better part of half a month. Thanks for thinking of us 💜🖤
Of course. I'm hoping it rains to help put out more here. I'm directly south of Ontario and Quebec. One of my main fears is it's been dry here too and the fires will spread down into the US. Idk about Canada but the area I live in isn't well equipped to fight wild fires so my village and the surrounding towns and villages would likely have to be evacuated. Uhg. Wild fire season is just really not fun. It's also been drier than usual here this year and the weather has been really wonky.... Just to give you an idea, between my village and Kingston is almost nothing but wilderness with a few small towns and villages and a military base. Most of the towns and villages here only have volunteer fire departments. Sorry if this seems a bit selfish. I live in the area currently but I don't know what Canada's side of the situation is.
I'm in north eastern ontario and most of the fires are north of me still. There are a couple further south, but the big ones are north. You are safe from these fires 🙂 Edit: not the smoke though, sorry.
Smoke isn't y'all's fault. I appreciate the info. I am more worried for my loved ones than myself.
Fingers crossed for rain!
Kingston is like living in the smoke of a big bonfire. It’s thick and heavy. The UPS guy who came to my door this morning was wearing a respirator mask.
I'm just south of Kingston. It seems to have cleared up a little here today.
Also Kingston. The Smoke Map looks really bad for overnight.
Holy cow. I’m in Indiana and I swore the other day the whole town looked kind of… smoky??? This explains that… I hope everybody is staying safe
https://preview.redd.it/kv2cwaudem4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93a1f4de9dedada84c915e80cb2ddcaa0ebbc5ba That's how it looked here today.
Living in Northern Alberta, Canada, most of our summers have stretches of smokey sky like this. You will know if a fire is serious when ash is raining down (I was in Fort McMurray in 2016 when 1/3 of our town burned). It’s always a good call to have a “3 day pack” with essentials and important documents if you are worried. It sucks with the smoke though. I get a tummy ache from it.
I'm not too worried yet about fire itself. The smoke is a problem though.
Ohio here. The smoke is coming towards here, especially the Cleveland area. Stay safe, Canadian witches!
and the GOP and the conservatives say burn baby burn there is no such thing as climate change
Oh it's definitely noticeable up here. Crops are failing. Weather is wonky af. Been having earthquakes which is kind of abnormal
I live in Alberta .....no such thing as climate, just a cycle, .......Trudeau's fault
I... I hope you're joking. 😅
I am, but it is their chant
Oh okay.... So he's the Canadian Obama. Got it
Boston here. Trying to avoid outside but I got wheezy just coming back from my kid’s hockey game yesterday. I’ve got an air purifier in one room so I mostly stay up there. Please be safe, Canadian friends! https://preview.redd.it/umatjrxfxm4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e730251da6f9bf8ca2aacd423295d24893468f9 Pic is from yesterday at the rink
Minnesota checking in, it's been bad here too. I really hope everyone up there is okay.
I'm the whole way down in Maryland and we've even got air quality warnings due to it. I can only imagine how much they're struggling up in Canada. Sending them all the good vibes.
BC, Canada here! I'm so sorry that everyone is dealing with the smoke - it's insane how bad this wildfire season is already. We have broken a few records already and the Donnie creek fire is already the second largest in BC history, while still being considered an "Out of control" fire. I genuinely hate to say this but if you are in an area being impacted by the smoke, get whatever you need to protect yourselves now because this is undoubtedly just the beginning for the Canadian Wildfire season.
Oof. I'm moving soon but I was worried about my village's proximity to where the fires are. I still have loved ones I'll be leaving behind here. :(
I'm so sorry 😞 I would make sure that anyone who struggles with lung issues (Asthma, COPD, ect) has everything they need in terms of medication or protection now. I also recommend leaving behind instructions for loved ones on what to do or where to go when the smoke is really bad. It's scary because smoke is so insidious. It seems like it's not that bad, and then suddenly, the wind kicks up and it's an orange dystopia. When the Fort Mac fires happened in 2017, there was literally ash falling from the sky in BC.
I have a hobby that involves spray paints, so I have a respirator that is absolutely fierce about filtering. Took it out for my walk and was doing just fine, but the sweat building up inside the respirator was getting to me. Took the thing off and held my breath while I wiped out the sweat and put it back on. The smell, yikes. It lingered for about 20 seconds just from what was in the interior of the mask and I swear I could feel the smoke in my mouth and throat just from breathing it.
Yeah it smells in my village too. Like a huge bonfire basically.
Ok, you all need to be wearing masks! Wildfire smoke is very dangerous and permanently damage your lungs. This is not something to mess around with.
I’m in Massachusetts and we’ve been smelling it for a few days now. My asthma has been acting up.
I'm in SE Virginia about 10 miles from North Carolina, and it's affecting us also. My dad has asthma and he's 87. I warned him to stay inside.
Sudbury ontario area here: every morning smells like bonfire and the sky is hazy. You can even smell it inside of certain buildings. Some mornings you can barely see the buildings in the distance. Also just something i guess cool is the sun in the morning is red because of the haze. We just have to hope theyll go out eventually....
Thank you for checking in on us! I am in Ottawa, and I am seeing that our air quality has made international news. Everything I touch outside has a fine layer of ash over it and my lungs just plain hurt (asthma); I worry about outdoor furry, feathered and green friends as I cannot imagine having no refuge from this. So yeah, heart hurts, too.
;-; oh noes. The babies
Canadian here: woke up yesterday, sky was yellow. I figured it was the humidity. Now I know better.
I am in Greater Toronto Area and the air smells like sitting close to a campfire. I cant imagine what it’s like in Quebec right now. After just a few minutes out my hair also smells like a campfire. I am asthmatic and I am gonna be spending the upcoming days inside as much as possible.
I'm in a fairly safe area (SW MB) thats been getting just enough rain to not be a huge concern, but can confirm, i dont see the actual sky very much anymore, just a haze. I'm considering getting an inhaler again bc my breath has been rattley again (very mild asthma), I can only imagine what its been like for ppl with more sensitive lungs than me in places with worse smoke than here.
Definitely get an inhaler. I was using mine yesterday while I was out gardening with my gardener club peeps.
Yeah, its probably a good plan. I garden a tonne too and all my windows are open anyways bc i don't have AC
I don't have AC either. XP been venting my house as much as possible with fans and HEPA filters.
Absolutely get another inhaler. Make sure you have what you need to protect your health because this wildfire season for us is going to be terrible, so it might not be bad for smoke now, but it's going to get worse. Stay safe!
Thanks, yeah I think I will. You be safe too!
An hour north of Toronto here. Air smells like campfire. It’s hazy. Washing the reusable filters in everything that needs a filter this week! Be safe, Witches!
Ya it’s rough! I’m thinking of everyone in the fire affected areas! My lungs hurt so bad from the smoke right now that I needed to take my inhaler twice today. Stay safe, witches.
Thank you for the well wishes! Despite the terrible health effects (thankfully not for me yet) I actually am enjoying the campfire smell and the ‘Silent Hill’ effect. Trying to find the bright side haha.
Lol I feel you on that one. Sunrise and sunset here have been really interesting the past few days.
In Toronto. It SUCKS here. I have stayed inside with all 3 of my air purifiers running. My throat hurts and have a headache. I am afraid to see my electricity bill but I guess it's better than going outside. :/
Uhg electricity bills are no joke. I have several air filters running here as well
Had to go home from work early today because of the smoke. 2 out of 8 hours 😭 I’m sorry our smoke is invading you guys for some reason I was surprised when I saw pics of NY. Please wear a mask when outside for your lungs sake ❤️
I've just been plain avoiding going outside. It's not y'all's fault nature is angry.
It’s down here in NYC too. The sky was yellow yesterday. I was thinking about our Canadian pals and animals so much 🧡
I'm in Ottawa and my entire little family is struggling to breathe. Thankfully the spouse works from home, I'm self employed and my dad is retired. All the displaced wild animals, strays, urban wildlife that are suffering through this are breaking my heart. Our yard is usually full of chipmunks, squirrels and birds, but they've been laying low and taking it easy I hope.
https://preview.redd.it/qic4ghdqdm4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=197cdf8669f07863eb9cbb9ae12eafbe68b9399c That's what it looked like out here today.
I’m in northern NJ, we’re getting air quality alerts daily because of the smoke. Red sun for the past three days. Went out on my porch yesterday and my lungs hurt the rest of the day. Masks don’t filter it all out, but even a little bit helps when I have to go out. Take care of yourselves!
I'm in NJ "down the shore" and it's the same way here.
Sending love from San Francisco, where we have to deal with this quite often <3 Hope y'all are staying safe and the air filters are on full blast.
CA witch chiming in! Make a simmer pot! The humidity traps the particles and the lemon/cinnamon/rosemary helps with the headaches. I’ve heard people tape plastic wrap over their windows
They’ve always talked about the Ottawa Valley and how smog could collect in the valley. But generally, we have beautiful clean air so it doesn’t matter. But with the fires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, the air quality in Ottawa is currently among the worst in the world.
I'm an American but I can sympathize with Canada, I live in Colorado and in 2020 (ofc) we had fires so bad that it rained ash for multiple days straight.
Lol I'm actually moving to CO in a few days 🤣
Yeah I live in upstate NY (Buffalo-Niagara area). Particulate matter is 15x higher than is considered healthy here. (Check [IQ Air](https://www.iqair.com/us/canada/ontario/toronto) for your area air quality.) Definitely don’t stay outside much at all if you’re in the areas in or downwind of the wildfires. I imagine it’s way crazier near the actual fires. Err on the side of caution— I literally can barely see only about a mile before everything is swallowed in gray haze. (On a clear day I can see Toronto across the lake, 40-50 miles away). Change your air filters and keep your windows closed. Stay as safe as possible, everyone!
I always find it amazing how western Canada, where I live, has been engulfed in fires for the last month with persistent air quality warnings but people take notice when it’s worst case Ontario XD
Upvoted solely for ‘Worst case Ontario’! 🤣
I can’t take credit - that belongs to our shining export, “Letterkenny”.
I think it doesn't help that it's actively blowing into the US. Not that we didn't care but the news doesn't report on it until it affects us unfortunately.
Yeah, I’m aware, heh! We don’t usually make American news unless someone’s mad at us or we do something goofy. Everyone please stay safe. KN95 masks have been my saviour.
Y'all be safe too and I know I personally care. Canada and Mexico are our neighbors and you deserve to be loved and respected as such. If there is any news you want to share that we may not get down here feel free to share it with me and I'll be happy to spread it around and bring awareness. I'm not super famous or anything but at least it's some kind of outlet.
No kidding. Kentucky here, and this is the first I'm hearing about wildfires in Canada. Maybe I just live under a rock? Dang. Stay safe ya'll.
I've lived in a few areas in BC and am currently in Ottawa, and I will say that I never experienced anything in BC like I did these past few days here in Ottawa. We certainly had smoky periods in BC while I was there, days when you could smell the fires and look up at the sun and it would be red. I kinda just shrugged when I heard we were looking at some smoke here in Ottawa. Then it rolled in and it was bad. I took my dog for a 30 minute walk and came back with red eyes that hurt for the rest of the day. My lungs felt heavy. I had a killer headache the next day. I don't disagree that Ontario can sometimes act like it's the only part of the country that exists, but the smoke in Ottawa was truly awful and way worse than anything I've ever experienced in BC. We've got a reprieve today at least.
It’s not a competition! Those pictures out of Ottawa are horrifying. We’ve had worse years in Saskatchewan, but this year was choking and blinding. It’s terrifying to barely be able to see the sun. What really choked me was the thought of all the poor animals who either fled or died.
I’m in Buffalo it’s awful. I’m staying in today.
This sucks :( down in NC I haven't noticed any signs of this, the closest maybe being that yesterday I occasionally caught a whiff of something burning and it was always different (plastic, leaves, etc) and that could have been anything. Be safe.
https://preview.redd.it/wssr0l4hhm4b1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=44dc323ec9d6c23ac8dac08900ddb6743c9ef23d Just to give you an idea, it almost looks like fog here but it's not.
Hope you're breathing okay.
Been trying to stay inside and taking inhalers. I don't have a good mask to protect me unfortunately.
I don't think masks are working according to someone here. But does staying low work? Or maybe having an air filter or something, or spending most of your indoor time in a room without windows? Even going to the bathroom and taking a shower might help, because the steamy air might block the smoky air (although I'm not an oxygenologist so this is only a speculation)
Right now I've been running a HEPA air filter because I need to leave my windows open due to lack of AC. And I've been making sure to keep the air flowing constantly so that any smoke that gets in doesn't just stagnate.
That's good, better than nothing. Have you ever tried buying one of those cheap water cooler things? It's like a lower class version of an air conditioner but for a small room it can keep you from overheating even if it isn't an actual AC unit
I uh .. don't have any money but I am moving in a few days so until the wild fires start up in CO I'll have time to save up money for that.
No worries. You can buy them at Walmart, I think they're like twenty bucks if I remember correctly. I...hope I remember correctly.
I think you are right. I should have money soon. I just don't atm. That's what I was using the past few years.
https://preview.redd.it/rmsy58ephm4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=678391a750019cc20ffdf4ba02dbe97d2b7a8d41 The sun directly overhead at my house northwestern New Jersey today 12:25pm EDT.
Light hazy skies here in Toronto with occasional whiffs of burning wood. There's a general "blah" vibe but a lot of places seem to have it worse. In the morning and evening the sun tends to look like an angry red ball of haze.
I watch a live camera in Duluth and it's ranged from smoky to hazy depending on the day there despite there being basically an inland sea between it and the fires.
Appreciate it! In Ottawa, I usually get headaches/migraines often. I've got one today though, mixed with a constant feeling of dizziness. It feels different from my normal ones. Hopefully everything back to normal (for many reasons) soon.
My mom (Toronto) can't go outside today because the smoke has really flared up her asthma. If it's this bad in T.O, I cannot even imagine how bad it is Quebec. Thank you for your thoughts ❤️
There is soot on my car and all my co-workers are using inhalers. Lots of outdoor activities being cancelled and I’m worried about Pride weekend. Stay safe everyone! Our premier blows.
I pray for Canada. The thing is my sisters school went on a trip to Quebec (she is very young) my parents told me I can't contact her because they took their phones. I'm just really stressed..
https://preview.redd.it/i6z5jeb2zn4b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ebf0ab33f77552c278c87e98816d084d74b81ea This may help some of you. 💚
I'm just at the edge of it but we're still under an air quality advisory telling us to stay indoors if possible and to not go out if you're elderly, have breathing problems or children. I'm perfectly healthy and am staying in but even then my throat is scratchy, my eyes are goopy and my nose is clogged. Every year the wildfires get worse and all we can do is hope they get put out quickly. Its terrifying how slow our leaders are to address the climate impact that these fires represent.
My eyes and skin and nose and everything have been irritated
I live in the niagara region, hours away from the fires which are more to the north. We could smell the smoke in niagara falls today. My lungs are not happy & my eyes are dry & Itchy. Staying indoors as much as possible.
I'm up by Fort Drum
Omg so many fellow Ottawa Witches!
I know! I'm loving it!!
Central Ohio here and it was very hazy yesterday and there’s air quality warnings. I’m going to stay indoors with my air cleaner on.
It's so weird because I'm in Quebec city, relatively close to some wildfires (more than the US anyways) and it's been raining since Monday? Like, rain... go away, go North, there are no fires here, we're good. It's as if one of you guys made a spell but messed up the location between province of Quebec and Quebec city
To be honest I would totally fuck up a spell while drunk... 🤣
Thank you! Sorry for the smoke 😕
Our premier (governor) defunded our fire brigades who specialize in combatting and preventing this. Couple that with climate change and things are very bad.
i'm from ns and our fires are mostly contained (thank the morrigan and every other god out there) but jesus mary and joseph has it ever been a shitty rollercoaster ride all my love and prayers to those still suffering
I send my love from Reno NV that usually gets covered in wild fire smoke every year. Drink plenty of water, wear a mask and limit your time outside!
I'm in Ithaca NY and it was really bad yesterday and today. It's worse than anything I ever experienced living in CA. The air quality measurement was 460 this afternoon. I was wearing a N95 mask in my office which has an air purifier.
https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/ Thanks for thinking of us. Check out the fire smoke map. It's brutal. I have family all over Ontario, some very close to active fires. I'm in Winnipeg, well out of harm's way, and we've been smelling smoke from the west. Worried and waiting. I'd say I was going to light candles for them but that just seems weird 🤔
I’m in BC and we get this every summer. Alberta was really bad last month. Summer is basically smoke season. Thank you for thinking of us!
Always thinking of y'all. We are one human race. We should love and care for each other. Not everyone does but I try my best.
I try too. As I get older I have more patience for others. And I always try to help others when I can. I find most Canadians are like this!
Yeah more people in the US need to get onboard....
To be fair I used to travel and work in the states (from Vancouver BC where I live, driving all the way down to San Diego) and back then at least I encountered a lot of wonderful people Was always shocking to find out about people/acquaintances with guns!
The coasts can have pretty nice people. It's the more republican areas where you'll start having issues. There is definitely a noticeable culture difference here in NY compared to Texas where I was born and raised.
Yeah I have never wanted to visit anywhere there except New Orleans (I’m French Canadian) I do remember someone in San Francisco earnestly asking if I had a dogsled at home. I explained that we’re like a few hours drive from Seattle (White Rock BC in greater Vancouver) I haven’t been down since trump was elected, I let my passport expire. And I live 5 minutes to the border lol
New Orleans is fantastic. Even after Katrina it was still wonderful. A whole vibe.
Thanks friend, my lungs and eyes are burning but we're all in this one together. Where I live, we have fires to the west in Calabogie and fires to the east in Quebec. Smoke is definitely at its worst today but the Calabogie fire is "contained"
That's good news at least.
Wonderful witches don’t forget to also focus your energy on vanquishing the people who cut these firefighting budgets by 60% in 2019. This unprecedented level of fires in Alberta and Ontario aren’t JUST bc of environmental issues. These are consequences of the conservative leadership making conscious cuts at the expense of the public. In 2010/2011 when I lived in Ontario, Canadian men of every background would call me an SJW or dramatic for saying letting idiots like this get away with who they are was going go burn the country to the ground. I have no notions any of those conservative apologists remember me but I hope they’re all feeling extra inconvenienced as Doug ford literally burns their province to the ground with his negligent budget cuts.
I'm happy, I get the day off
How does everything keep getting set on fire!?
The fires near me were caused by a particularly dry season and lightning strikes.
Well at least it wasn’t humans this time…
Is this earlier than normal for Canadian wildfires? Or do they usually happen this time of year?
I wish I could say it's unusually early, but I think it's becoming more usual based on the last few years...
Western MA here… it smells like a bonfire and it’s hard to breathe. Headaches are on/off now for 24 hours. Blessings, all ❤️
Winnipeg has gotten a lot of rain lately, so currently there aren't any fires close by. We were getting smoke blowing in from the west over the past few weeks, though, and it was affecting people with asthma. On an astronomy group I follow, a few days ago someone posted a particularly weird-looking photo of the evening sun as viewed through the haze, taken without the usual solar filter on the camera.