Hot weather, smoky conditions return to Saskatchewan skies

Hot weather is returning to much of Saskatchewan, and the smoke is coming along with it.

Environment Canada has issued more special air quality statements as smoke from forest fires burning in British Columbia settle in Saskatchewan skies.

Advisories are in place for all of southern and central Saskatchewan, even stretching to areas as far north as La Loche.

Brad Vrolijk, a lead forecaster with Environment Canada, said much of southern Saskatchewan is expecting air quality health index of five for Wednesday, while areas like Saskatoon will have a hazier air quality of eight.

“It’s definitely worse down the Yellowhead Corridor, from North Battleford down towards Saskatoon, and onwards towards Humboldt,” Vrolijk said. “Into the evening, it kind of stops heading east and starts drifting south.”

“As it heads south it becomes a little more diffuse as it goes, so it won’t be quite as concentrated.”

Vrolijk said Saskatoon can expect the smoke haze to worsen as the day continues.

“For Saskatoon, it’s looking like a little bit later (Wednesday) afternoon, you’ll see conditions get quite a bit worse, with poor visibilities and poor quality lasting into the evening hours before some improvement overnight and into Thursday.” he said of the immediate forecast.

Vrolijk couldn’t say if the smoke will be as prevalent as it was last Saturday, but many of the same health precautions should be taken for people who struggle or experience respiratory issues in smoky conditions.

“Even for normal people, with conditions like this, we don’t encourage outdoor activity, if possible,” Vrolijk said. “It’s pretty easy to get scratchy throats or coughs or things like that.”

While much of the smoke is expected to move out of the province on Thursday, Vrolijk did warn that smoke could periodically reappear throughout the week as fires in B.C. continue to burn.