The number of forest fires burning across Canada crept higher over the last week and more dangerous air quality warnings were issued in parts of Ontario and Quebec Sunday.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, known as CIFFC, reported 465 active fires burning across the country, including 240 that are out of control. Almost one-quarter of those fires are in Quebec, and Environment Canada warned wind patterns were causing smoke from some of those blazes to settle over the western part of the province as well as eastern Ontario.
The smoke and fires prompted the cancellation of an Ironman triathlon race in Mont Tremblant, Que. shut down youth soccer and baseball programs in Ottawa and Montreal and compelled city officials in Ottawa and its neighbouring city of Gatineau, Que., to close outdoor pools and declare beaches off limits to swimming….