North Bay, ON Live Wildfire Smoke Map
Get Alerts For Wildfires In Your Area
The moment a wildfire starts near you, you'll get an instant alert and simple tips to reduce your smoke exposure.
What's In The Smoke
30xSmaller than a human hair
Fine enough to reach deep into the lungs. A MERV 13 is built to capture it.
How Far It Travels
It Doesn't Stay Local
Smoke rides the wind far downwind — you can get smoky air with no fire nearby.
What To Do During A Smoke Event
Simple steps to reduce indoor exposure.
- Stay In, Close UpShut windows and doors to keep smoke out.
- Set Fan To "On"Keeps air cycling through your filter, not just when heating or cooling.
- Recirculate AirSwitch off fresh-air intake so you're not pulling smoke in.
- Run A MERV 13Built to capture the fine PM2.5 in smoke.
- Add A PurifierExtra filtration for the room you use most.
- Wear an N95 if OutsideFits snug to block fine particles — a cloth mask won't.
The Best Air Filter For Wildfire Smoke
During smoke events, the EPA recommends upgrading to a MERV 13 filter — or the highest-rated filter your system can handle — to help reduce the fine particles smoke brings indoors. MERV 13 is the level most home HVAC systems can run while still capturing PM2.5, the fine particulate that makes up the bulk of wildfire smoke.
- Captures PM2.5 particles
- Blocks ash, soot, and smoke odor
- Keeps your indoor air safe—even when the outdoor air is dangerous
- Meets the EPA's recommended rating for filtering fine wildfire smoke particles.
Wildfire Smoke FAQs
Facts About Wildfires
Over 70,000 wildfires burn in the U.S. every year.
Wildfire smoke can travel 1,000+ miles, affecting states that aren't even near the blaze.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can worsen asthma, trigger heart issues, and lead to ER visits.
Indoor air can hold more fine particles during wildfire events unless it's properly filtered.
The EPA advises using MERV 13 filters or portable HEPA air cleaners during wildfire smoke events.
Don't Wait Until The Smoke's Inside.
Use the live wildfire smoke tracker and upgrade your air filters today to protect your lungs and your home.
Shop Filters For Smoke Protection
Live North Bay, ON Forest Wildfire & Smoke Map Today: Local Air Quality Tracking & Indoor Protection Solutions
TL;DR
As of Ontario's 8 October 2026 update, the latest North Bay District fire, North Bay 41, is out and no restricted fire zone is in effect. Distant smoke can still drift in, so check North Bay's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) before opening windows, and keep MERV 13 air filters in your furnace until fire season closes on 31 October.
Key Takeaways
A fire named "North Bay" may be nowhere near the city. Ontario names fires by Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) district.
Filterbuy's action line is an AQI over 100, or an AQHI of 4 or higher. Homes with HVAC should switch to MERV 13 and run a portable HEPA air purifier in each room.
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit recommends MERV 13 or higher during smoke events.
To report a wildland fire near North Bay, call 310-FIRE (3473).
Live North Bay, ON Wildfire & Smoke Map
The live map above tracks fires and smoke plumes around North Bay, using data from the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, which can run a few hours behind. For a wider view, open Filterbuy's live wildfire and smoke map for Canada.
North Bay Today at a Glance
Latest readings: ECCC North Bay AQHI and Ontario forest fire update.
Is There a Forest Fire Near North Bay, ON Today?
Not as of Ontario's 8 October 2026 update. The province lists one active fire in the entire Northeast Region, under observation, and the latest North Bay District fire, North Bay 41, is out.
Two reported 2026 fires near North Bay:
Sources: NetNewsLedger and CTV News.
Which Live Fire or Smoke Map Should You Check?
Each tool answers a different question, so we use them together.
The Filterbuy team's rule for reading smoke maps: if the map shows smoke over North Bay but the AQHI reads 2 or 3, the smoke is likely passing several kilometres overhead. We rely on the AQHI for what gets indoors. Read why there is smoke in the air today.
How Are North Bay Forest Fires Named?
Ontario names each forest fire after the MNR district where it starts, plus a number in the order fires are confirmed. "North Bay 39" (code NOR039) was the 39th fire confirmed in the North Bay District in 2026. The district reaches well beyond the city: in 2018, North Bay 69 burned 221 hectares near Temagami, about 100 km to the north.
Why Is There Smoke in North Bay When No Fire Is Nearby?
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit notes that wildfire smoke can travel hundreds or thousands of kilometres and may be present even when you can't see or smell it.
On 15 July 2026, smoke from northwestern Ontario fires pushed the AQHI to its worst level from Thunder Bay to Toronto, according to the 2026 Canadian wildfires summary. North Bay sits right in that corridor.
What Does North Bay's AQHI Mean for Your Home Today?
Filterbuy's action line is an AQI over 100, or an AQHI of 4 or higher on Canada's scale. Past that line, homes with an HVAC system should do both: switch to an EPA-recommended MERV 13 filter and run a portable HEPA air purifier in each room. Then set the fan to On and close up the house. The EPA recommends MERV 13 or higher during smoke events, while the action line is Filterbuy's own recommendation, not a government threshold. With a lung or heart condition, talk to your healthcare provider and follow health unit guidance.
AQHI risk categories: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Home steps by band: Filterbuy recommendations.
For high readings, see how to set up a wildfire smoke clean room and the best mask for wildfire smoke.
Supporting Statistics: What the Research Shows
95%: fewer indoor particles with a better filter. A MERV 13–16 central filter can cut indoor particles by up to 95 per cent. Source: EPA Wildfire Smoke Factsheet.
17%: more asthma emergency visits from Canadian smoke. Over 19 smoke days in 2023, U.S. asthma emergency visits ran 17 per cent above expected levels. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
90%: time spent indoors. Americans spend about 90 per cent of their time inside, where some pollutants reach 2–5 times typical outdoor levels. Source: EPA Indoor Air Quality report.
How Do You Keep Wildfire Smoke Out of a North Bay Home?
Official guidance comes first: follow ECCC air quality alerts and North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit advice, especially any advice to stay indoors or relocate. Then, once the AQI tops 100 or the AQHI reaches 4:
Switch to an EPA-recommended MERV 13 filter. If you have an HVAC system, put MERV 13 air filters in your exact size in the furnace. This is your whole-home layer. See upgrading your HVAC system to MERV 13.
Set the thermostat fan to On. "Auto" only filters while the system runs, while "On" filters nonstop (running your HVAC fan nonstop during smoke).
Run a portable HEPA air purifier in each room, bedrooms first. Do this as well as the MERV 13 filter, not instead of it. The EPA notes that furnace filtration and portable cleaners work best together. Health Canada advises a smoke CADR of at least two-thirds of the room's area in square feet, so a 300 sq ft bedroom needs a smoke CADR of about 200. Avoid any air cleaner that produces ozone.
Close up the house. Shut windows and doors, and switch your HRV or ERV off or to recirculate (recirculate vs. fresh air settings). Skip candles, frying and smoking indoors, and don't vacuum unless the vacuum has a HEPA filter.
Recover once the smoke clears. Work through Filterbuy's wildfire smoke recovery checklist and HVAC restoration guide.
Filterbuy's Take: Why Smoke Filters Fail Quietly
In EPA testing of DIY air cleaners, filters loaded with smoke left the cleaners "almost completely ineffective." The EPA advises checking filters during smoke events and changing them when they look dirty, which can be well before the normal replacement interval.
Keep spare filters on hand so you're not waiting on a delivery mid-smoke (how to replace your air filter). As Filterbuy's wildfire smoke filter-change guide puts it: "If no light comes through the pleats, or it smells like a campfire, it is spent."
No Furnace? Apartments, Condos and Baseboard Heat
Without ductwork, portable HEPA air cleaners are your primary defence, not a backup. Put one in each room, bedrooms first, sized with the CADR rule above. A DIY box-fan cleaner built with MERV 13 filters is a reasonable stopgap, not a replacement for a certified unit. The EPA advises a fan built in 2012 or later with a UL or ETL safety mark. With an older fan, don't leave it running unattended or while you sleep (EPA DIY air cleaner guidance). Filterbuy's box fan MERV 13 air purifier guide covers the build.
Which Filterbuy.ca Air Filter Is Best for Wildfire Smoke?
MERV 13 (Optimal) is the tier Filterbuy recommends for wildfire smoke. Order it in your current filter size. Compare MERV 11 vs. MERV 13 or all about MERV ratings.
Order MERV 13 in your exact filter size. Pleated filters capture particles, not gases or odours.
Shop MERV 8 air filters, MERV 11 air filters, MERV 13 air filters or Odour Eliminator filters.
A North Bay timing tip from the Filterbuy team: fire season ends 31 October, about when many North Bay furnaces start running daily. Swap out your smoke-season filter so winter starts clean.
Filterbuy makes more than 600 filter sizes in its American factories and ships free to Canada. Subscribe & Save keeps spares coming. Choose the right HVAC filter size. CTA: Find Your Size CTA: Subscribe & Save Edit, skip or cancel anytime.
How Do You Report a Forest Fire or Get Smoke Alerts in North Bay?
To report a wildland fire in the North Bay area, call 310-FIRE (3473), Ontario's line for fires north of the French and Mattawa rivers. If a fire threatens people or homes, call 911.
North Bay Fire and Emergency Services: check municipal burning permits and by-law before you burn.
Stay Ahead of Wildfire Smoke
Sign up for Filterbuy smoke alerts, and use our wildfire season preparation checklist to help protect your home's indoor air.
Get Wildfire Alerts →Wildfire & Smoke FAQs for North Bay, ON
Is There A Wildfire Near North Bay, ON Right Now?
Not as of Ontario's 8 October 2026 update. For today's status, check the live map above or Ontario's forest fire page.
Is It Safe To Open My Windows During Smoke?
Only when the North Bay AQHI is low (1–3) and you can't smell smoke. Otherwise, keep them shut. See when it is safe to open windows after wildfire smoke.
My Weather App Shows AQI, Not AQHI. Are They The Same?
No. Many apps show the U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a 0–500 scale, while Canada's AQHI runs from 1 to 10+. They don't convert one to one. Act when the AQI tops 100 or the AQHI reaches 4.
Glossary
AQHI (Air Quality Health Index): Canada's 1-to-10+ scale for health risk from air pollution.
CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate): how much filtered air a portable air cleaner delivers.
ECCC (Environment and Climate Change Canada): the federal department that reports the AQHI.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): the U.S. federal environmental agency.
Filterbuy: an American maker of pleated HVAC air filters, sold in Canada at filterbuy.ca.
HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air): a filter standard that captures very fine particles.
HRV / ERV: heat or energy recovery ventilators that bring in outdoor air.
MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value): a 1-to-16 rating of how well a filter captures particles.
MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources): the Ontario ministry that manages forest fires.
Sources
U.S. EPA Science Matters: Do-It-Yourself Air Cleaners, Making Cleaner Air More Accessible
U.S. EPA: Wildfire Smoke Factsheet, Indoor Air Filtration (EPA-452/F-21-002)
Ontario: Forest fires (updated 8 October 2026)
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: Air quality and wildfire smoke
Health Canada: Using a portable air cleaner for wildfire smoke
NetNewsLedger: Northeast District wildfire update, 20 August 2026
Natural Resources Canada: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System
North Bay Fire and Emergency Services: Burning permits and by-law