For the next few days, the ongoing forest fires in Quebec may affect air quality in Montreal and the surrounding areas. If there are no advisories or alerts in effect and the sky does not appear cloudy, smoky or coloured, you can continue with your usual activities.
If there are notices or alerts, or if the sky appears cloudy, smoky or coloured, it is recommended to: stay inside, close your home's windows and doors, turn off the air exchanger or put it in recirculation mode, to avoid bringing outside air into your home and limit physical activities outdoors
For people who must expose themselves to the smoke, it is recommended to limit your outdoor activities (work, commute), and to delay or reduce as much as possible non-essential outdoor activity.
Our CIUSSS's Health, Safety and Well-being team and Santé Montréal urge you to be vigilant. People who are particularly vulnerable to poorer air quality include those who have asthma, cardiac or respiratory problems such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, pregnant women, young children and the elderly.
Most common symptoms include: Itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, irritated sinuses, sore throat, light cough, headache Monitor the following symptoms and if necessary, contact a health professional: difficulty breathing while at rest, shortness of breath, violent fits of coughing, dizziness and chest pain or cardiac palpitations.
If your health or that of a loved one causes you concern, contact Info-Santé at 811. For any medical emergency, call 911.
Distribution of N95 masks
The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) would like to advise anyone who is directly exposed to the smoke or fine particles of forest fires that they can obtain N95 masks at one of our vaccination sites:
Décarie Square (6900 Décarie Blvd.)
- Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Closed Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1 for Canada Day)
Parc-Extension (7101 Parc Ave.)
- Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Closed Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1 for Canada Day)
Ongoing forest fires in Quebec may affect air quality in Montreal. If there are no advisories or alerts in effect, and the sky does not appear cloudy, smoky or coloured, you can continue your usual activities. For information on what to do in the event of poor air quality, please consult the following links:
For the general population- For workers (in French only)