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An air quality advisory in place due to wildfire smoke was lifted for the Edmonton area Monday, although warnings remain in place for the eastern part of the province.

The smoke, which reduced air quality and visibility, is expected to clear the province as a cold front moves through.

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David Lyder, senior air modelling engineer with Alberta Environment and Parks, said the smoke over Alberta is moving east from the B.C. wildfires even though there are also fires in the territories.

The recent increase in smoke which started Sunday is a result of a large cold front from the northwest and the smoke moving in behind it, Lyder said.

He noted the smoke passed through, aided by the rain in Edmonton Sunday night.

“Precipitation has cooled off the fuel and cleared some of the atmosphere,” Lyder said.

The Air Quality Health Index measured by Environment Canada peaked at the highest value of 10+ at 10 p.m. Sunday and was considered a very high risk. The index is a forecast of pollution in the air calculated as a three-hour rolling average.