Air quality plummeted in the metro region this morning as a plume of smoke from the fire burning in Conception Bay North descended on the region.
Environment Canada issued an air quality alert around 8:00 this morning with an air quality index of 10 for the area, the most extreme level on the air quality scale.
Things improved after the rain moved in, but meteorologist Rodney Barney warns, with far less rain in Conception Bay North, there is potential that the smoke could return.
Meteorologist Ian Hubbard says the Air Quality Index in metro was 8 as of early this afternoon.
On a day when there are no wildfire or no other issues, the index would be at one or two, but 10 means the risk to health is very high.
Air quality decent again in downtown St. John's after some rain; brief but significant spike to unhealthy levels occurred this a.m. w/ passage of Kingston smoke plume.
Not much rain so far at source location, so potential exists for smoke to return. https://t.co/NPieAMCQtT #nlwx pic.twitter.com/F2bAVFaNue
— Rodney Barney (@rcbstormpost) August 19, 2025
