Environment Canada warning of poor air quality, high winds in parts of Sask.

Mother Nature might be blowing smoke on Wednesday in some parts of Saskatchewan.

Environment Canada issued special weather statements for a number of areas, advising people to be ready for wind gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour.

Among the areas where those statements were in effect was the Yorkton-Melville region, which also was under an air quality advisory due to heavy wildfire smoke from blazes in the northern prairies and Northwest Territories.

“Air quality will deteriorate again later (Wednesday) as another plume of smoke drops southwards through the province,” the statement read. “Conditions will improve for Thursday.”

Special air quality statements were in place across northern and central Saskatchewan, including Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Humboldt, Melfort, Nipawin, Martensville, Warman, Hudson Bay, Fond-du-Lac and other northern communities.

The wind advisories were in place only in the south and east, with regions like Regina, Estevan, Weyburn, Fort Qu’Appelle, Lumsden, Indian Head, Moosomin and Grenfell included.

“Strong northwesterly winds will develop in the wake of a low pressure system moving through southern Manitoba (on Wednesday) morning,” that statement said. “Gusts to 80 km/h or more will be possible for southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba beginning later (Wednesday) morning …

“Wind warnings may be needed for portions of the statement area should forecast winds intensify further. The winds will rapidly diminish (Wednesday) evening as the low departs into Ontario.”

More information is available on the Environment Canada alerts website.