REPORT- Following the after effects of forest fires in nearby areas, Montreal was officially ranked with the worst air quality in the world.
According to an Air Quality Index tracker, Montreal scored first place with an air quality of 230. On Monday morning, the city's first position persists, this time with an AQI of 155. Following Montreal in the ranking are cities located in Indonesia, China, Iraq, Brazil and Qatar.
Source: firesmoke.ca
After this news, Environment and Climate Change Canada warned that air quality in the metropolis is "high risk", cautioning residents to avoid going outside as much as possible. The city of Montreal also cancelled all of its outdoor activites and sports until Monday at noon.
"If you were planning on going for a run or a whole day of outside activities to push it back to another day because working out outside … you breathe more, you breathe more air quicker, so there's more pollution that goes into your lungs quickly," said Sidonie Pénicaud, a physician in environmental and occupational health at Montreal public health, in an interview.
While Montreal is still surrounded by smoke Monday morning, the air quality is expected to slowly return to normal starting in the afternoon.