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Health Smoke blankets Calgary to Red Deer: High-risk air quality Friday, May 31st 2019, 11:20 am - Albertans are urged to postpone outdoor activities, seek medical attention if necessary.

People in southern Alberta are being urged to stay indoors with windows closed Friday, as wildfire smoke blankets much of the region.

For Calgary, Airdrie and Red Deer, Environment Canada has issued an air quality health index of 10+, the highest on the scale, signifying very high risk. Most of the province is under a special air quality statement, as well.

"It means that there's a heavy load of pollution in the air — and we know that right now, there's forest fires burning in northern Alberta, and that forest fire air pollution has been transported on the wind," said Dr. Kathryn Koliaska with Alberta Health Services.

"Those little particles can be breathed deep into the lungs and so we want to limit the amount those are really being drawn into the lungs."

In northern Alberta, fires have forced more than 10,000 people from their homes — more than twice the number from the day before. Smoke from the fires is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility throughout Alberta, British Columbia and in the United States.

Edmonton and northern Alberta has struggled with air quality in recent days. The sky lit up orange in the province's capital on Thursday.

VIDEO: SEE THE HAZY CONDITIONS IN EDMONTON