On Sunday, June 25, 2023, large clouds of smoke invaded the sky of Montreal, according to information collected by Le Figaro. Local authorities then warned of the toxicity of fine particles in the air produced by the forest fires, which started last January. After passing through New York three weeks ago, the plume of smoke arrived in European skies.

From Monday June 26, Météo-France warned of the arrival of this ash cloud in France. “The fires affecting Canada propelled particles and gases into the atmosphere via intense atmospheric convection movements generated by air below that was warmer than that aloft. Finer particles were thrown and remained suspended at very high altitude,” said the editorial staff.

If the clouds of smoke arrived on Monday, meteorologists predict a peak in the middle of the week. Indeed, “it is especially from Wednesday that the concentrations of carbon monoxide (invisible, odorless and invisible gas which mixes in the air and is particularly toxic) and fine particles should be the most important”, announces Alexandre Isgro, meteorologist for La Chaîne Météo. However, with the stormy showers forecast for Thursday or Friday, these particles should quickly dissipate according to the experts.

Moreover, “the concentration of particles that have accumulated in New York because of the proximity between Canada and the USA has nothing to do with what affects us more than 5000 km away”, according to Météo-France . But the local authorities of Pays-de-la-Loire or Brittany have nevertheless alerted the inhabitants of a possible risk. Indeed, the regional health agency (ARS) of Pays-de-la-Loire has advised to limit outings and to give up physical activities in the open air. People at risk are the most affected by these recommendations since they may be faced with breathing difficulties.

The institutes responsible for air quality still continue to assess the damage caused by these fumes.