A thick layer of smoke covered Montreal on Sunday as hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Canada, making the metropolis the worst-breathing urban center in the world, according to a specialist agency.

A warning bulletin has been issued by Environment Canada, mainly affecting areas of Quebec.

The amount of fine particles was such that Montreal was yesterday Sunday the city with the worst air quality in the world, according to data compiled by IQAIR, a Swiss company specializing in the study of air pollution.

“It’s really like fog, except it’s smoke from fires. It’s really awful to breathe in, it also irritates the eyes a bit,” said Fauve Lepage Vallée, 18. Together with his girlfriend, they watched the city center covered in smoke.

Concerts were supposed to take place yesterday evening but were cancelled, Fawbe added in frustration.

Due to the smoke, several sporting events also had to be postponed, notably the triathlon world championship relay in the old port of Montreal.

The authorities recommend wearing a mask and avoiding outdoor activities until today. “The Emergency Measures Coordinating Committee has asked us to close swimming pools, water parks and outdoor sports areas until Monday [σ.σ. σήμερα] in the afternoon,” said Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal mayor, Lic Rabouin, via Twitter.

81 forest fires are active in Quebec, 27 of which are considered out of control. Many spread over the weekend due to dry weather and high temperatures. The smoke “makes it particularly difficult for firefighting aircraft and helicopters to operate,” according to the Society for the Protection of Forests from Fires (Société de protection des forêts contre le feu, SOPFEU), which however noted that rain is expected today or tomorrow Tuesday in the northwest of the province.

On Wednesday, 119 French firefighters are expected to arrive in Quebec to replace their colleagues who have been in the field since the beginning of the month.

“The mission of the first detachment of French firefighters is ending,” explained Stéphane Caron, prevention and communication coordinator at SOPFEU. “They leave for France on June 28 and a second detachment will take over the same day.”

As with the first French detachment sent to the province of Quebec, the mission will last 21 days. “It will be developed (…) in Roberval,” 250 kilometers north of Quebec City, according to Mr. Caron.

Across the territory, Canada’s interservice center for forest fires (Centre interservices des feux de forêt du Canada, CIFFC) counts 470 active fires, of which 244 are classified as out of control.

Canada is experiencing an unprecedented forest fire year: more than 74 million hectares have burned since January.