Local fire departments being flooded with calls over

Local Fire Departments are encouraging members of the public to use discretion and/or restraint when it comes to calls about smoky air. Both the Belle...

Local Fire Departments are encouraging members of the public to use discretion and/or restraint when it comes to calls about smoky air. Both the Belleville and Quinte West Fire Deparments say they were flooded with calls on Tuesday night about smoke in the air. In all cases, the haze was caused by wildfire smoke from fires in Northern Ontario and not a local source.

Quinte West Fire officials say they received more than 40 calls at their dispatch centre in just over an hour. The Belleville Fire Department posted on Facebook about the issue, encouraging people to call 911 only if they can see the

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source of the fire and/or smoke. That message is included in its entirety below. Wildfire smoke is expected to be an issue again in the region on Wednesday. POST FROM BELLEVILLE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ON FACEBOOK – Belleville Fire & Emergency Services has been receiving reports from residents regarding the smell of smoke in our community. The smoke is drifting into the Quinte region from active wildfires burning in Northern Ontario and may result in hazy skies, reduced visibility, and poor air quality over the coming days. If you see flames, smoke coming from a structure, or another emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. If you only notice the smell of smoke and do not see an active fire, please do not call 9-1-1. Keeping emergency phone lines available ensures we can respond quickly to life-threatening. Thank you for helping keep our emergency lines available for those who need...

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