Smoke from wildfires in Northern Ontario continues to impact the air in southwestern Ontario.
An orange level warning from Environment Canada remains in effect this morning, with very poor air quality and reduced visibility, which officials say may extend into Friday.
Residents are urged to limit time outdoors, and reschedule or cancel any outdoor sports, activities, or events.
When indoors, keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
Hope Haven on Wellington Street in Chatham is extending its hours from 10 o’clock Thursday morning until 7am on Saturday, offering people a place to get out of the smoky air. As well, the Walpole Island Arena is being used as a safe space and cooling station.
A number of municipal services and facilities are being affected by the smoke.
All Municipal Waste Depots will be closed Thursday, including:
- Wallaceburg Waste Depot
- Harwich Waste Depot
- Chatham Leaf and Yard Depot
All outdoor pools in Chatham-Kent will remain closed for the day.
Blenheim and Wallaceburg indoor pools will remain open and operate on their regular schedules.
Splash pads will remain open. Chatham-Kent Public Health recommends that families exercise caution, monitor air quality conditions, and limit outdoor exposure where possible.
Municipally-operated day camps, including CK Recreation and CK Arts & Culture day camps, will continue to operate, with programming adjusted to remain indoors throughout the day.
The EarlyON outdoor event in Ridgetown has been cancelled. All registered participants have been notified. All indoor EarlyON programming will continue as scheduled.