131 active wildfires in Sask., season doubles yearly average

Saskatchewan's wildfire count so far this year has beenmorethan doublethe five-year average.

There are 131 active wildfires burning in the northern part of the province as of Thursday morning.

Of them, five are contained, meaning the fire is not expected to grow, and 19 are not contained. At 21 of the fires, firefighters are focused on protecting cabins and infrastructure,according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency's (SPSA) website.The remaining 86 are being monitored.

There are fewer active wildfires then there were on July 25, a week and a half ago, but there has been a slight increase in the number of uncontained fires.

There have been 526 wildfires so far this year, more than double the five-year average of 246.

The largest fire as of Wednesday was north of Hudson Bay, near Highway 55 and 9. Itmeasured at 30,483 hectares (about 305 square kilometers), nearly 1.7 times the size of Regina.

A SaskAlert issued on July 23 for the area, warning motorists of decreased visibility in the area and recommending using an alternate route, has been extended until at least Tuesday.

Poor air quality

Air quality statements from Environment Canada remain in effect for parts of Saskatchewan, addressing the veil of smoke that has settled over much of the province from wildfires here and in B.C.

That includes statements for:

• Lloydminster.
• Regina.
• Saskatoon.
• Stony Rapids.
• Fort Qu'Appelle and area.
• Hudson Bay and area.
• Humboldt and area.
• Buffalo Narrows and area.
• Kamsack and area.
• La Ronge and area.
• Martensville and area
• Meadow Lake and area.
• Melfort and area.
• Moose Jaw and area.
• Moosomin and area.
• Outlook and area
• Pelican Narrows and area.
• Prince Albert and area.
• Yorkton and area.

Conditions are expected to improve in the southern regions either Thursday night or Friday morning as a southerly wind pushes the smoke north, but haze from B.C. fires could replace it in southwestern Saskatchewan.

The smoke can cause sore throats, headaches, coughing and shortness of breath, especially for children, seniors and heart or lung conditions.

If you have difficulty breathing, or are experiencing these symptoms, Environment Canada recommends staying inside and avoiding the smoke.