You may have noticed the hazy conditions in Bruce and Grey counties recently.
Northern Bruce Peninsula fire chief Jack Burt says the smoke coming to the area is from wildfires burning in northern Ontario and Quebec.
“People, when they see smoke, they think there is a larger fire within the area. The amount of smoke that is coming to our area from northern Ontario and Quebec is fairly significant. What we want people to look for is columns of smoke, where smoke is billowing up into the air as opposed to low lying smoke when they think there is a fire in their area,” says Burt.
Burt says while the smoke appears to have dissipated a bit as of Sunday, he says over the next few days there is the potential for more visible smoke.
“Some of the fires that are burning in Quebec and northern Ontario are fairly significant right now, so we do anticipate that we may see more smoke like this in the future,” says Burt.
He adds there are health concerns with the amount of smoke in the area.
“Smoke from wildfires is combination of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plant material. Wildfire smoke can impact your health even at very low levels. If you are experiencing the effects of wildfire smoke, please stay indoors with windows and doors closed. If symptoms persist, or become severe, then please seek medical assistance,” says Burt.
When asked if the peninsula is at risk of any forest fires, Burt says there is always a concern with the amount of forest in the area, but are taking steps to manage that risk with the county-wide fire ban.