Regina, Saskatoon see air quality warnings as wildfire smoke blankets Saskatchewan
Environment Canada says much of the province is currently dealing with poor conditions, with Saskatoon expected to experience an air quality health index rating of over 10 through Wednesday.
The agency also says the provincial capital of Regina is expected to see very high-risk conditions by Tuesday night.
The warnings across Saskatchewan come as the province is currently dealing with 49 wildfires, 14 of which are considered not contained.
Wildfire smoke is still affecting central and northern Saskatchewan, with Environment Canada saying Buffalo Narrows will see the air quality health index remain at the "very high risk" rating of over 10 heading into Wednesday.
Smoke from wildfires is also blanketing Manitoba, with Winnipeg and Brandon forecasted to see an air quality health index rating of over 10 by Tuesday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2025.
The Canadian Press
Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Evacuation alert lifted for Slave Lake, wildfire threat now considered low
An evacuation alert for the northern Alberta community of Slave Lake has lifted after cooler temperatures helped crews tamper the flames. A fire sparked by lightning on Sunday put thousands of residents on standby for an evacuation. That alert was cancelled Tuesday at 5:31 p.m. for those living within the evacuation zone including the town of Slave Lake, the hamlet of Marten Beach, Summerwood, Township Road 740, and the Gillwood Golf Course area. An update from the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River on Tuesday evening said fire crews are making good progress toward containing the fire, but significant equipment and resources are still being dedicated to fighting it. "The threat assessment is low based on the recommendation from regional fire services," the update said. The town of Slave Lake suffered a fire in 2011 that burned about one-third of the community, or nearly 400 homes and businesses.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Severe weather impacts Ontario, peaking Thursday
Severe thunderstorms will impact much of Ontario Wednesday, peaking on Thursday with severe potential moving farther east. Meteorologist Dylan Kikuta has more
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Thick smoke to linger in Sask. until Friday
Saskatchewan has been inundated with a thick blanket of smoke this week from wildfires that continue to rage on in the province's north. It looks like the haze may be sticking around for a few days. Strong northerly winds have pushed smoke from fires burning around La Ronge toward south and central Saskatchewan, prompting air quality warnings throughout the province. Regina, Saskatoon and surrounding communities, and La Ronge and surrounding communities are under air quality warnings as of Tuesday, the most severe level of air quality alert. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirmed that as winds from the north continue pushing smoke south, the situation may only worsen in the coming days, with no relief in store until Friday. "It looks like it's gonna linger for a couple days," Crawford Luke, a meteorologist with ECCC, said. "There's just a huge amount of smoke up north. Anytime we get into these northerly winds, unfortunately we're kind of stuck with it." Luke said a strong southerly wind is needed to keep smoke away from communities in the south. A shift in wind direction is forecasted to begin late Thursday and into Friday. Air quality alerts are likely to remain in place until then. Rainfall isn't enough to dissipate smoke Rainfall began in the province Saturday and scattered showers have continued throughout the week. Despite Saskatoon receiving 52 mm of rain since Saturday, air quality in the city remains at its worst. Luke said that although rain can help alleviate smoky skies, it can also sometimes have the opposite effect. "With rain, sometimes it can clear things out for a little bit. Other times the rain, as it's falling through the atmosphere, can actually bring down smoke from higher up in the atmosphere, so you don't actually end up cleaning the air." Luke said people in south and central Saskatchewan should limit their time outdoors as much as possible until the smoke dissipates Friday. "If people have things that they're hoping to do around the house or around the yard that's outside, [ideally] they're able to hold off until Thursday evening or Friday to do those things."
