Smoke from Alberta fires prompts air quality alert in Manitoba

Drifting smoke from the wildfires burning throughout northern Alberta is affecting parts of Manitoba.

Environment Canada and Manitoba Health have issued a special air quality statement for parts of central and northern Manitoba.

Flin Flon, The Pas, Norway House, Leaf Rapid,Cross Lake,Garden Hill,Berens River and areas around those communitieswill see poor air quality at times on Monday.

Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone's health, even at low concentrations, Environment Canada's alert says.

People with lung disease, such as asthma,or heart disease, as well asolder adults, children, pregnant peopleand people who work outdoors are all at higher risk of experiencing health effects.

As of Monday, 96wildfires were burning across Alberta and more than 19,300 people had been forced from their homes.

To date this year, Alberta has had more than 465 wildfires, which have consumed nearly 532,000 hectares of forest and destroyed hundreds of homes, plus businesses and critical infrastructure.

In comparison, there are currently four wildfires in Manitobaand all are listed as under control. The year-to-date total number of fires in the province is 22. All were determined to have been caused by people, not weather.