The impacts can also be immediate. During a heavy smoke episode in Ontario in June 2023, asthma-related emergency department visits increased by 23.6% one day after the smoke arrived, with visits among children increasing by 40%.<\/p>\n
To help residents prepare, the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation has released a new easy-to-follow guide to help Canadians reduce smoke exposure in their homes. The \u2018Wildfire Smoke Protection at Home\u2019 guide translates climate adaptation research into simple actions households can take BEFORE and DURING smoke events. These actions can also help households prepare for periods of reduced outdoor air quality during extreme heat events.<\/p>\n
The guide is organized around three steps:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Prepare before wildfire smoke arrives.<\/li>\n
- Improve indoor air during smoke events.<\/li>\n
- Upgrade the home to reduce smoke infiltration.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Actions include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Downloading the WeatherCAN app to stay updated on \u2018Air Quality Health Index\u2019 alert.<\/li>\n
- Running your HVAC system on \u201cON\u201d or \u2018recirculation mode\u2019 to continuously filter the indoor air.<\/li>\n
- Improving insulation and air sealing in attics and wall cavities to reduce outdoor air infiltration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The guide is designed for residents, municipalities, community organizations, public health practitioners, and others working to help households prepare for wildfire smoke and other poor air quality events.<\/p>\n
Download and share the FREE Wildfire Smoke Protection at Home guide here: Three Steps To Cost-Effective Wildfire Smoke Protection at Home<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Infographic<\/h4>\n
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/intact-climate-centre-helping-prepare-wildfire-smoke-202606.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nNotes<\/h4>\n
1. Romanello M, Walawender M, Hsu S, et al. The 2025 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: climate change action offers a lifeline. The Lancet, 2025; 406, 2804-2857.<\/p>\n
About the Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation<\/b><\/h4>\n
The Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation (Intact Centre or ICCA) is an applied research centre at the University of Waterloo. The Intact Centre was founded in 2015 with a gift from Intact Financial Corporation, Canada\u2019s largest property and casualty insurer. The Intact Centre helps homeowners, communities and businesses to reduce risks associated with climate change and extreme weather events. For more information, visit www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n
About the University of Waterloo<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The University of Waterloo is Canada\u2019s top innovation university. With more than 42,000 full and part-time students (Fall 2020), the university is home to the world\u2019s largest co-operative education system of its kind. The university\u2019s unmatched entrepreneurial culture, combined with an intensive focus on research, powers one of the top innovation hubs in the world. For more information about Waterloo, please visit uwaterloo.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n
About Intact Financial Corporation <\/b><\/h4>\n
Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC)<\/em> is the largest provider of property and casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading provider of global specialty insurance, and, with RSA, a leader in the U.K. and Ireland. Our business has grown organically and through acquisitions to over $20 billion of total annual premiums. In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through a wide network of brokers, including its wholly-owned subsidiary BrokerLink, and directly to consumers through belairdirect. Intact also provides affinity insurance solutions through the Johnson Affinity Groups. In the U.S., Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, and wholesalers and managing general agencies. Outside of North America, the Company provides personal, commercial and specialty insurance solutions across the U.K., Ireland, Europe and the Middle East through the RSA brands. For more information, visit www.intactcf.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
SOURCE: Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo<\/i><\/p>\n
Tags: Intact<\/a>, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation<\/a>, tips<\/a>, wildfires<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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