WildfireSmokeCanada

Thunder Bay, Ontario — Wildfire Smoke Forecast

Live PM2.5, AQHI and 48-hour smoke-model outlook · updated Sep 20, 7:56PM EDT

Current air quality and forecast

Now · observedGood 2 µg/m³ NowCast · latest 2 µg/m³ at Thunder Bay
Next 48 hoursModerate 0–15 µg/m³ · 3 models
Forecast peak15 µg/m³Sep 22, 12:00PM · FireWork

No significant smoke is expected in the next 48 hours.

Air quality is good — ideal for outdoor activities.

AQHI — now & forecast (Environment Canada)

2Now
2Sun night
2Mon
2Mon night
2Tue

1–3 low · 4–6 moderate · 7–10 high · 10+ very high · Forecast squares are Environment Canada's official AQHI period maximums.

Last 24 hours observed & next 48 hours forecast

20100now−24 h+24 h+48 hµg/m³

Background bands (US EPA AQI, 24-h basis): Good · Moderate

Forecast

Next 6 hours
0–4 µg/m³
Peak around Sep 20, 9:00PM
Next 12 hours
0–5 µg/m³
Peak around Sep 21, 8:00AM
Next 24 hours
0–8 µg/m³
Peak around Sep 21, 10:00AM
Next 48 hours
0–15 µg/m³
Peak around Sep 22, 12:00PM
Next 24 hours — model comparison 3 models · 24-hour peak table
ModelPeak PM2.5Peak around
FireSmoke (UBC BlueSky)0 µg/m³Sep 20, 9:00PM
FireWork (ECCC)8 µg/m³Sep 21, 10:00AM
HRRR-Smoke (NOAA, 3 km)0 µg/m³Sep 20, 9:00PM

Model values are for the nearest forecast grid cell to Thunder Bay; FireSmoke, FireWork and HRRR are independent and often disagree — treat the highest available value as the cautious planning number.

Observations and NowCast are total PM2.5 — wildfire smoke plus every other source — as regulatory monitors measure it, and FireWork models that same total. FireSmoke and HRRR-Smoke estimate the wildfire contribution only, so they read lower than the monitors whenever other sources matter. The optional map plume surfaces are likewise fires-only.

Sky vs. ground

Little smoke at the surface or overhead.

Sky right now
Clear sky

At the ground · Overhead (if mixed down)

010208:00PM2:00AM8:00AMµg/m³

Overhead smoke dims the sun but is not what you breathe. The dashed line shows the surface level if the whole column mixed through the boundary layer — a worst case, not a forecast · Data: NOAA HRRR-Smoke; cloud cover is from the model, not observed

Nearby fires

150 km radius

Fire snapshot updated 2026-09-20 23:55 UTC

Within 150 km, agencies report 2 Out of control · 2 Under control.

Out of control2 fires
THU_FIRE_060
136 km away · 419 ha · reported 2026-08-15 · ON
distance measured to the incident point
Out of control
NIP_FIRE_025
140 km away · 254 ha · reported 2026-07-22 · ON
distance measured to the incident point
Out of control
Being held0 fires

No being held fires are reported within 150 km.

Under control2 fires
FOR_FIRE_014
140 km away · 51928.3 ha · reported 2026-09-04 · ON
distance measured to the incident point
Under control
THU_FIRE_056
142 km away · 7947 ha · reported 2026-09-09 · ON
distance measured to the incident point
Under control

Proximity and wind direction do not prove that a fire caused smoke at this location. Sources: BC Wildfire Service in British Columbia; Natural Resources Canada CWFIS elsewhere.

Forecast track record here

29-day record · 1 nearby monitors

ModelTypical errorTendency
FireWork2.6 µg/m³reads low 1.3
FireSmoke4.8 µg/m³reads low 4.8

Mean absolute error and average tendency in µg/m³, from forecasts verified 0–6 hours ahead at monitors within 50 km. A short-range record, not a measure of how far ahead a model stays reliable. FireSmoke and HRRR model wildfire smoke only, so they read below the monitors whenever other sources of PM2.5 matter.

Nearest monitoring stations

See the Ontario-wide forecast — every monitor, ranked →

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