Wildfire smoke engulfs Saskatoon as over 100 active fires burning in Sask.

Saskatoon residents woke up Sunday morning to thick smoke and limited visibility caused by wildfires raging across Saskatchewan.

“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” Environment Canada said in an advisory issued early Sunday morning warning that the combination of heat and very poor air quality in smoke will increase health risks.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) reported 105 active fires burning in the province as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday. This year, Saskatchewan has seen a significant increase in wildfires, with 403 recorded so far – 272 more than the five-year average.

“During heavy smoke conditions, everyone is at risk regardless of their age or health. The fine particles in wildfire smoke pose the main health risk,” Environment Canada said.

• Get the CTV News app for Saskatoon area breaking news alerts and top stories 

(Hayatullah Amanat/CTV News)

The federal agency asks people to reduce or stop outdoor activities if they experience symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, as well as serious but less common symptoms such as chest pains or severe cough.

This comes as Saskatoon has been dealing with a prolonged period of extreme heat. A heat warning has been in place in the city since Thursday.

Daytime high temperatures are expected to reach 32 C and above, with a humidex of 36 C making it feel even muggier. Overnight lows are expected to be 17 C over the next several days.

“A slow-moving ridge of high pressure is responsible for bringing the extreme heat into Saskatchewan. The heat warnings will likely be expanded eastward over the coming days,” the advisory reads.

People are asked to stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., whenever possible.