Record amounts of smoke blanketed parts of Sask. so far this summer
Regina and Saskatoon have already seen record wildfire smoke in 2023, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Regina experienced 223 smoke hours so far this year as of Wednesday, compared to the previous record of 184 smoke hours in 2021. Saskatoon, meanwhile, saw 282 smoke hours in 2023, breaking 1981’s record of 165.
According to the agency, a ‘smoke hour’ is counted when visibility is reduced to 9.7 kilometres or less in smoke in one hour.
Terri Lang, a meteorologist with ECCC, said the smoke in the province is coming mostly from B.C. and the Northwest Territories, with some contribution from Northern Alberta and is nowhere near done.
“The prevailing winds and the upper atmosphere are from the west in the northern hemisphere. That means any direction from the west is going to bring smoke in. It's just a matter of whether it stays high up in the atmosphere or whether it mixes down to the surface and causes a reduction in visibility and bad air quality, that's the hardest thing to predict,” she said.
As of Wednesday, there are 411 active wildfires in British Columbia, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. In the Northwest Territories, there are 241 active wildfires, according to their government website, and in Northern Alberta, there are 79 active wildfires, according to the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, a total of 18 active wildfires are burning in the province as of Wednesday, with 423 recorded for the year.
Although wildfire season usually ends in September, Lang said not to expect that this year, as wildfires continue with the warmer and drier forecast.
“We can expect smoke to be with us into the foreseeable future, probably until the snow flies,” she said.
Special air quality statements have been in effect for much of the province since the wildfires began.
On Wednesday around 2 p.m., Regina was issued another special air quality statement, with the index listed at a 10+.
Lang said when the air quality health index is expected to be seven or higher, the air quality statements are issued.
“The measurements for air quality are made by the province and the messaging in the statements themselves are provided by Health Canada,” Lang explained.
Jill Hubick, community care and education manager for Lung Saskatchewan, as well as an RN and respiratory educator, said common symptoms that people will experience with smoke exposure include irritated eyes, runny nose, headaches, worsening of allergies, and chest tightness.
“Smoke and poor air quality is not healthy for anyone. Our lungs are meant to breathe in clean air. So we do worry about the impact of people being exposed to so much smoke over a long period of time and having a long term impact on our lungs and body,” she said.
Hubick said people with underlying chronic diseases, such as lung disease and heart disease, will be impacted more by the smoke, as well as young children.
“They breathe at a faster rate than adults do. So they actually will breathe in more of the wildfire smoke and because they have small lungs and small airways, it can have more of an impact on them,” she said, noting that older people are usually more susceptible to chronic conditions.
Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device
She said if people can, they should stay indoors with the windows and doors closed, and put on the air conditioner so the body doesn’t have to work so hard.
“In particular, people don't often think about this when they're driving as well, making sure you put it on the recirculation setting. Otherwise, it's just going to draw the smoke from the outside in,” she said.
Hubick said while most people think of only physical symptoms when dealing with the poor air quality, there’s an impact on mental health as well, with people having reported feeling claustrophobic.
If people must work outside, Hubick said they should take lots of breaks, and wear an N95 mask, which will help block out some of the particles from the smoke.
“For people living with lung disease such as asthma or COPD, it's really important that they have something called an action plan,” she said. “It's a plan that is put together by the patient and their healthcare provider of what to do when they're feeling unwell and what to do when their symptoms worsen and when to seek emergency or medical attention.”
“If you're feeling confused, or drowsy or just extreme shortness of breath, we really want people to seek medical attention immediately.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6972157.1721587842!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING NEWS Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nominee
U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for re-election after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent's fitness for office with the election just four months away. It was a late-season campaign thunderstrike unlike any in American history.
Justin Trudeau reacts to Joe Biden announcing he won't run for re-election
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden won’t run for re-election Sunday, calling Biden a 'true friend.'
What happens next: Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election bid and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
Read Biden's full text announcing the end to his re-election campaign
U.S. President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump. He announced his decision in a letter posted on social media. Read the full text.
Harris, endorsed by Biden, could become first woman, second Black person to be U.S. president
Kamala Harris could become the first Black woman to head a major U.S. party presidential ticket after U.S. President Joe Biden abruptly ended his re-election bid and endorsed her.
The pilot who died in crash after releasing skydivers near Niagara Falls has been identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Officials on Sunday released the name of a pilot who died in a skydiving flight after her passengers jumped from the aircraft near the Niagara Falls.
LCBO workers ratify tentative agreement, strike ends Monday
The union representing 10,000 workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has ratified a tentative agreement, which will officially end its two-week strike at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Joy in Newfoundland after 'Lucky 7' fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
There was a powerful word being repeated in the joyful Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley on Sunday: 'Miracle.'
A Florida woman was killed 24 years ago. DNA evidence just helped police make an arrest in the cold case
A Florida woman’s brutal killing nearly 25 years ago may finally be solved after authorities arrested the suspect this week, according to the Sanford Police Department.