Special air quality statement for parts of Huron and Perth counties

Updated with additional locations 4:30 p.m., June 5

Huron Perth, ON – On Thursday, June 5, 2025, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a Special Air Quality Statement for:

• Wingham, Blyth, Northern Huron County
• Goderich, Bluewater and Southern Huron County.
• Listowel, Milverton, Northern Perth County
• Stratford, Mitchell, and Southern Perth County

Wildfire smoke is causing or expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility in these areas. The air quality is expected to improve on Friday.

Wildfire smoke may be carried thousands of kilometres from the fire zone. This means smoke can impact air quality in areas close to and far from the wildfire. Residents are encouraged to visit www.airhealth.ca or www.airqualityontario.com for current and forecasted air quality health index (AQHI) values, information on health risks, and recommended actions to reduce exposure to air pollution and protect health. While there are no federal air quality monitoring stations in Huron or Perth, residents can check the conditions for Grand Bend, Kitchener-Waterloo, and London to see general air quality trends for our region.

As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Although wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health, some people are more likely to be affected. These include individuals aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition (e.g., lung or heart conditions, cancer, diabetes) people who smoke, those experiencing housing insecurity, and people who work outdoors.

People can lower the risk of respiratory problems from poor air quality by:

• Monitoring for symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation, shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain and seeking medical attention if needed
• Staying indoors when the AQHI is 7 or greater (high risk) and reducing or stopping strenuous outdoor activities
• Checking on people in your care and those around you who may be more susceptible to air pollution
• Taking a break from the smoke at a location in your community where you can find clean, cool air, such as a library or community centre
• Drinking plenty of water
• Protecting the indoor air in your home by
  • Keeping windows and doors closed, and using air conditioning, or fans.
  • Properly sealing windows and doors with weather stripping.
  • Setting your ventilation system to recirculate when the outdoor air is poor and bring in fresh air when the outdoor air has improved.
  • Using a clean, good quality air filter in your ventilation system and/or a certified portable air cleaner that can filter fine particles.

If you must spend time outdoors, a well-constructed, well-fitting and properly worn respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator) can reduce your exposure to the fine particles in the smoke.

HPPH has a limited supply of N95 respirators available to residents who are at high risk for respiratory problems when wildfire smoke results in poor air quality. Those at high risk of experiencing negative health effects from poor air quality are:

• people with lung disease (such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or heart disease
• older adults
• children
• pregnant people
• people who work outdoors

Respirators are available at the HPPH Stratford West Gore and Clinton offices.

Residents interested in local air quality can also check the separate Purple Air monitor in Goderich through the map at www.purpleair.com – please note Purple Air does not use AQHI values.