There are air quality alerts on the east side of British Columbia except for further south, all of Alberta except for the southern edge and in Saskatchewan from just north of Leader and east to Davidson and then all the way to the northern border. There are also air quality issues in Ontario and Quebec, although it has improved in southern and eastern Ontario.

The smoke from Canada’s wildfires has become an international event, with haze travelling to the United States, Norway, Greenland and Iceland. There are 31 wildfires burning in Saskatchewan with eight not contained. To date, there have been 209 fires this year and the five-year average is 140.

Environment Canada has some safety tips. If you have an HVAC system, used the highest rated filter, ideally rated 13 or higher, and set the fan to recirculate air constantly. You can also use a portable HEPA air cleaner and be sure to check on people in your care and those around you who may be more susceptible to smoke.