Saskatchewan wildfire smoke to linger into the weekend

It looks like most of the province will have to put up with wildfire smoke this weekend.

Special air quality statements continued Friday for much of central and southern areas of the province thanks to wildfire smoke largely from Alberta.

Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Share said Saskatchewan is currently stuck in a northwesterly wind pattern that is pushing smoke into the province.

“A lot of smoke is coming in from Alberta,” Share said. “We’re not going to see it move out of the way until we get a weather pattern change. Right now, we’re not in stagnant pattern, but a slow-moving pattern. The northwest winds are with us for at least a couple more days.”

The air quality in Saskatoon and Regina continued to be very poor Friday morning with both cities at a 10, the highest rating on the weather agency’s air quality health index.

Share said both cities will see a bit of a reprieve from the smoky conditions on Saturday, but the dense plume will linger in the west corner of the province and along the Alberta border until at least Monday.

“It just depends where you are in the province,” Share said. “If you are closer to one of the local fires, that’s going to be your main concern, but for a lot of areas, especially toward the south of the province, that’s smoke coming in from Alberta.”

The weather agency warned people to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke where possible as it can be harmful even at low concentrations.

People who are older, who have lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, who are pregnant, or who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects.