Manitoba·UpdatedSmoke billowing from wildfires is leading to poor air quality and reducing visibility throughout Manitoba this weekend. Environment Canada issued a warning Saturday morning for much of Manitoba, including Winnipeg in the south, the Interlake and Thompson in the north.Air quality warnings in effect for Winnipeg, Interlake and into northern ManitobaCBC News · Posted: Jul 19, 2025 10:02 AM EDT | Last Updated: 23 minutes agoWildfire smoke fills the air in Betula Lake, just over 100 kilometres east of Winnipeg, on Saturday. Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued air quality warnings for much of the province. (Brad Lilies/CBC)Smoke billowing from wildfires is leading to poor air quality and reducing visibility throughout much of Manitoba this weekend.Environment and Climate Change Canada issued warnings Saturday morning for a large swath of the province, including Winnipeg in the south, the Interlake and Thompson in the north.The warnings advise people to limit their time outside and reschedule any outdoor activities due to the poor air quality.Environment Canada, the federal agency responsible for monitoring air quality, extended the warning to Winnipeg just before 9:30 a.m.Winnipeg’s air quality health index is forecasted to soar from a Level 2 (low risk) on Saturday morning to a “very high risk” 10+ level by the end of the day, remaining in that range during Sunday as well. As of 9 a.m., it was at a 5, or “moderate risk” level.Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued air quality warnings for a large swath of the province. Areas in the province in red were under the warnings as of Saturday morning. (Environment and Climate Change Canada)Environment Canada said everyone’s health is at risk during heavy smoke conditions, but pregnant people, infants, seniors and those with underlying chronic health conditions are likely to be more impacted.People may experience mild symptoms, including eye, nose and throat irritation, along with headaches or a mild cough, Environment Canada said. More serious symptoms that are less common include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. Environment Canada is advising people to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. If you need to spend time outdoors, the federal agency recommends limiting it as much as possible, but even with reduced exposure, there can still be a risk to health. The federal agency is also expecting Brandon’s air quality to worsen throughout Saturday. As of 6 a.m. on Saturday, the federal agency is forecasting the index to jump to Level 6 — the “moderate risk” range — by the afternoon.The smoke is drifting from a number of wildfires in Manitoba that have forced the evacuation of thousands and led the province to declare its second state of emergency for the season.According to the province’s latest fire bulletin, issued Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 122 active wildfires across the province, which has seen a total of 317 wildfires to date, well above the average for this time of year of 231.
Wildfire smoke leads to air quality warnings for much of Manitoba this weekend
