Air quality statements, smog warnings north and west of Ottawa

Wildfire smoke from Quebec has prompted special air quality statements and smog warnings in areas north and west of Ottawa, but not in the capital.

Environment Canada issued smog warning statements for just north of Ottawa in Low, Wakefield and Mont-Laurier areas at about 5:00a.m. Wednesday.

Several regions west of the city are also under special air quality statementsincluding Shawville, Fort William, Deep River, Whitney and Eastern Algonquin Park areas.

The warnings come as most of the province is under a heat warning that is expected to continue until Friday.

In downtown Ottawa the air quality index which runs on a scale of one for normal to 10+ for very high was two, or low risk, as of 11a.m.

The forecasted air quality in Ottawa remains low risk until Thursday night, the furthest Environment Canada forecasts.

• How we measure air quality and what the numbers mean

At a news conference Wednesday, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Simon Legault recommended people prepare for the situation to change.

"[Wildfire smoke] is going to be moving in the coming days. Air condition may be good at some times, bad at some times," said Legault.

He advised people in Ottawa-Gatineau take the same precautions asthey did a few weeks ago:"stay put if you don't need to be outside ... follow the warnings first."

Children with asthma and people with respiratory or heart ailments are recommended to avoid intense physical activity outside, the smog warnings state.