Much of northwestern Ontario is swathed in smoke today.

Special air quality statements for Kenora and Dryden have been issued because of the smoke.

Geoff Coulson from Environment Canada says most of the smoke is from fires that are located in the northern parts of the western provinces.

“A lot of the smoke has actually been related to the fires around the northern Winnipeg lakes in Manitoba,” states Coulson.

“But we’re also getting some component of the smoke from fires that continue to burn out of control in northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.”

Coulson says the smoke should ease by tomorrow when the winds shift to the west, but that means communities in the far north could be affected.

“They’ve got the double concern of fires actually continuing to burn of control in parts of northwestern Ontario.  So locally they’ve got those poor conditions due to forest fire smoke, and then additionally they may see more smoke from fires in northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.”

Coulson adds the westerly flow of air should keep the southern portion of northwestern Ontario clear from smoke for the rest of the week.