Smoke blankets Western Canada and U.S. as wildfires tear across region

Smoke, haze and air quality warnings are affecting parts of Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories as wildfires like the one burning the historic resort town of Jasper tear through swaths of Western Canada and the U.S.

In Alberta Thursday morning, the Environment Canada Air Quality Health Index was forecast 10+, or "very high risk," for nearly the entire province, including: Airdrie, Calgary, Cold Lake, Drayton Valley,  Edmonton, Edson, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay, Fort McMurray, Fort Saskatchewan, Genesee, Hinton, Lamont County, Red Deer, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Sturgeon County and Wood Buffalo South.

"Wildfire smoke is causing or expected to cause very poor air quality and reduced visibility," says the air quality advisory for Edmonton issued by Environment Canada at 4:36 a.m. MT.

"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."

The province of B.C. issued a smoky skies bulletin for parts of the province Wednesday, including the following regions: Greater Victoria, 100 Mile, Arrow Lakes - Slocan Lake, Boundary, Cariboo (North), East Columbia (includes Golden), East Kootenay, Kinbasket, Kootenay Lake, North Columbia, North Thompson, Similkameen, Thompson (includes Kamloops), West Columbia (includes Revelstoke) and Yoho - Kootenay Park.

In the Northwest Territories, the Environment Canada Air Quality Health Index was forecast 10+, or "very high risk" for Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Fort Simpson. 

And Environment Canada also issued air quality warnings for parts of northwestern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including La Loche, La Ronde, Dillon, Stony Rapids, and Brochet, Leaf Rapids and Lynn Lake.

In Canada, there are about 430 active wildfires in British Columbia and 177 in Alberta, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. And in the U.S., as of Wednesday morning, there were 79 large active wildfires across the country being managed that have burned 579,292 hectares, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

One of two wildfires raged into Jasper on Wednesday, consuming homes and businesses in a wall of flame. The wildfire, whipped into a firestorm by intense winds, burned with such intensity and speed, it sent plumes of ash and flames shooting hundreds of feet into the air. 

The extent of the damage is unknown, but park officials say numerous buildings in the historic townsite in the heart of Jasper National Park have been lost. 

"The lack of information is excruciating," Ashley Kliewer, a Jasper resident and co-owner of Raven Bistro, told CBC News Network Thursday morning from Edmonton.

"I know at least a dozen families whose homes are gone."

WATCH | Owner of Jasper's Maligne Lodge heartbroken: 

Owner of Jasper’s Maligne Lodge heartbroken after hotel burned by wildfire

4 months ago

Duration 5:47

Karyn Decore, whose family owned Maligne Lodge for over 60 years, is mourning the loss of their establishment and heartbroken for her staff — many of whom come from countries around the world. The lodge was among the buildings burned Wednesday night.

U.S. also affected

Meanwhile, fires burning in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and other western states, as well as those in Canada, have filled the skies in regions of the western U.S. with smoke and haze, forcing some affected areas to declare air quality alerts or advisories.

Evacuation orders are in effect related to 15 fires in the Northwest, where fires continue to show active to extreme behaviour. Communities near several fires in California, the Northern Rockies and the Great Basin are also under evacuation orders.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued air quality alerts for the eastern counties of Harney, Malheur, Grant, Baker and Morrow until further notice. Unhealthy air was reported in the cities of Bend and La Pine today and forecasted for tomorrow, with smoke expected to continue degrading air quality in La Pine after Thursday.

Smoke from the Durkee Fire was choking the air in Boise, Idaho and beyond. An air quality warning was in effect for the entire region on Wednesday. In Idaho, air quality advisories were sent out to the central counties of Ada, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington.

In north central Washington, the Colville Reservation, all of Chelan County, plus the Methow Valley down to Brewster in Okanogan County were under air quality alerts until further notice.