Smoke from massive Canadian wildfires drifts into Washington



HELENA, Mont. -- Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

Air quality in Seattle was listed as moderate Friday morning. Eastern and north-central Washington also registered moderate.


    The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles of land.



    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease.