Environment Canada has issued an air quality alert for northern Saskatchewan, down to an area east of North Battleford and all the way to the Manitoba border. Numerous forest fires burning in northern Saskatchewan, eastern Manitoba, as well as BC have spread varying amounts of smoke over the prairie provinces.

A trough of low pressure is expected to move across Saskatchewan later Thursday. Finally, behind the trough on Friday, the smoke, at least near the ground, should get flushed out by westerly winds.