Toronto continues to struggle with some of the worst air quality in the world this week as smoke from ongoing wildfires blankets much of the GTA. Environment Canada issued special air quality statements on Monday morning for most of southern Ontario, warning residents about elevated pollution levels caused by the smoke.
“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” the agency said on Monday. As of Wednesday, Toronto’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) has improved slightly to a 4, which is considered a moderate-risk level.
The poor conditions (and their lingering health effects) have sparked growing concerns among Canadians in recent months. A new national survey conducted by First Onsite Property Restoration found that 63 per cent of Canadians are worried about the physical damage caused by wildfires, while 65 per cent say they’re concerned about smoke exposure.
Jim Mandeville, a senior disaster recovery expert with First Onsite, says residents and business owners should take immediate steps to protect themselves and their properties. For example, people should wear masks and gloves, keep windows and doors closed, change furnace filters often, and use air purifiers.
Even though air quality in Toronto is moderately better compared to a few days ago, some smoke is expected to linger in the coming days.
Here are Mandeville’s 10 survival tips for dealing with wildfire smoke:
- Hire a professional with expertise in smoke cleaning to complete a proper assessment of your home (smoke contamination can travel to areas of your property and/or belongings that might not be visible to the untrained eye).
- Always protect yourself before cleaning fire residue. For example, use a disposable dust mask or respirator and wear gloves.
- Look out for smoke damage in the coldest areas of your home, as these will be the areas that suffer the most damage.
- Swipe windows with a clean white tissue to determine potential contamination. Light brown dust means typical household dust, but grey-black dust means that contamination is present, and the area should be handled professionally.
- Don’t turn on any electronics as the soot will contaminate the inside of the unit.
- Dispose of open or exposed food to avoid possible ingestion of toxic carcinogens.
- Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible to prevent smoke from entering your home and/or business. You can even use tape to prevent smoke from entering your home or business if you’re near an active fire.
- Use an air purifier to help remove particulates from the air.
- Change furnace filters often (think every few days or even weekly, depending on the severity of the smoke/air quality).
- Call your insurance company. Ask what is specifically covered under your policy.
