A boat travels along the Ottawa River in Ottawa on Monday, July 14, 2025. The Canadian Press
Thick smoke from wildfires burning in the Prairies is filling the skies across Canada. On Sunday, people could see hazy, dusty skies from Vancouver Island in the west to Charlottetown in the east.
Maps from weather officials showed air quality alerts across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The southern parts of the Northwest Territories were also affected.
Smoke Making Air Hard to Breathe
Weather experts warned that the smoke is causing poor air quality and low visibility. In some areas, these smoky conditions may last until Monday.
“When smoke levels go up, health risks go up,” said one official statement. People may feel irritation in the eyes, nose, or throat. Some may have chest pain or a harsh cough, though this is rare.
Toronto even made it to second place on the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to a global air quality monitor. It later dropped to fourth, but still remained high on the list.
Fires Still Burning Nationwide
Over 700 wildfires are burning across the country. One of them, near Cameron Lake in British Columbia, has already forced hundreds of people to leave their homes. The fire started on Thursday and grew to almost four square kilometres by Sunday.
Local officials said that most of the 393 homes ordered to evacuate were residential. Another 238 homes were placed on alert in case the fire grows closer.
More Evacuations in Manitoba
In northern Manitoba, the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation near Nelson House ordered a full evacuation. One wildfire is burning just half an hour away.
Residents were told to head south to Winnipeg, about 800 kilometres away. A local message told people not to panic. “We are not in danger,” the notice read. “Our main concern is the highway closure.”
The fire risk is high due to strong winds, which could fan the flames and cut off road access. The wildfire service in Manitoba said two large fires are burning near the community. One of them is over 46,000 hectares in size.
Evacuations in Saskatchewan Too
In Saskatchewan, Pinehouse village, about 500 kilometres north of Saskatoon, evacuated non-essential workers earlier in the week. The Clearwater River Dene Nation also had to leave.
Heat Adds to the Danger
Apart from the smoke, hot temperatures added to the trouble. Large parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan were under heat warnings on Sunday. Forecasters said the temperature could go above 30°C in many areas.
