The forecast calls for sunshine, but it could be hard to spot through the thick haze blanketing Southwestern and Midwestern Ontario.
Federal officials have called this forest fire season unprecedented. Fires are burning across Canada, but Environment Canada meteorologist Gerald Chang said we should blame the haze over our region on fires in Quebec.
"The wind is carrying this smoke into Southwestern Ontario, and that's why we are seeing hazy conditions," he explained.
The forecast calls for haze on Monday and Tuesday, but Chang believes it will persist longer than that.
"I'm not seeing favourable conditions for the smoke to go away," he said. "We are getting a northerly flow, and that flow will persist basically throughout much of the week."
The agency issued a special air quality statement for Oxford County, Tilsonbury, Woodstock, Goderich, Bluewater and southern Huron County because of the smoke. Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton and Windsor-Essex have escaped any watches or warnings, but residents can smell the smoke.
Forest fires in Southwestern and Midwestern Ontario are almost unheard of, but unusually dry weather last month has officials concerned about the possibility. Some communities have already issued fire and lawn water bans.
"The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are watching. We won't get any systems coming until Saturday or maybe Sunday, but that's still days out," said Chang, warning the possibility of rain is days away.
