Three northern Sask. communities evacuating due to heavy smoke

Three villages in northern Saskatchewan are evacuating due to heavy smoke from wildfires, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

The provincial government issued an air quality alert for the area around Buffalo Narrows, Peter Pond Lake, Île-à-la-Crosse and Beauval on Thursday morning.

Residents were advised to limit outdoor activities, according to a statement from SaskAlert.

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“Contact your health care provider if you or someone in your care experiences shortness of breath, wheezing (including asthma attacks), severe cough, dizziness or chest pains,” the statement says.

Those who must spend time outdoors should consider wearing a respirator to prevent breathing in fine particles in the smoke, the province says.

People who are pregnant, have lung or heart disease, older adults, children, and people who work outdoors are at the highest risk of health effects from wildfire smoke.

“Stay inside if you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms.”