Smoke from Quebec fires causes hazy day of summer on P.E.I.

Sharon Moase wasn't exactly sure what she was seeing when she crossed to P.E.I. from New Brunswick on the Confederation Bridge Sunday, straight  into a white haze.

"I didn't realize it wasn't fog," she said in an email to CBC News, along with a photo. "Was an eerie feeling."

What she was seeing was the effects of lingering smoke from wildfires that have been burning for weeks in Quebec. It got so bad Sunday afternoon that Environment Canada issued a rare air quality statement for the province.

"Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone's health even at low temperatures," the statement said.

The air quality improved overnight and wasn't noticeable in Charlottetown on Monday, but Aaron Masseira, who was walking in Victoria Park, said he could "feel it in the air" Sunday evening.

"You could feel it when you were breathing. And the kids noticed it as well."

The Quebec smoke has been affecting other areas of the country and the northern U.S. for two weeks now, with poor air quality causing the cancellation of many outdoor events in Montreal on Sunday.

But until Sunday, the wind had largely kept the smoke away from P.E.I.

"As we pushed into the weekend, that pattern was very different, and we did see those upper-level winds, the jet stream, carrying that smoke from Quebec wildfires over Prince Edward Island," said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland.

"With a ridge of high pressure settling in, we did see some sinking air, and some of that particulate matter in a higher concentration was able to make its way down to the surface and affect our air quality."

When the air quality index reaches moderate to high risk, as it did Sunday night, doctors say people who are really young or old should stay indoors, along with people who have underlying medical conditions such as lung or heart disease. 

Everyone else should be mindful of their breathing, and how they're feeling, before starting any form of strenuous exercise. 

"What I would say is, first of all, listen to your body," said ER physician Dr. Aaron Sibley. "If you're starting to experience symptoms, I really think you should go indoors, keep windows closed, keep doors closed, and try to refrain from strenuous activities."