A person walks their dog as smoke blankets the city from nearby wildfires, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday. More people are being forced from their homes as several wildfires rage out-of-control in northern Alberta and blanket areas to the south in an acrid haze. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

A person walks their dog as smoke blankets the city from nearby wildfires, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday. More people are being forced from their homes as several wildfires rage out-of-control in northern Alberta and blanket areas to the south in an acrid haze. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada’s wildfire smoke drifts into Washington, other states

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

  • By Wire Service
  • Friday, May 31, 2019 10:25am
  • Northwest

Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. — Smoke from large wildfires in Canada’s Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena’s air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease.

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