Local air quality was heavily impacted by wildfire smoke this summer, according to the latest Fort Air Partnership report.

Air quality in our region was high risk to health or very high risk to health eight per cent of the time in the third quarter of this year, the report states.

Another 15.6 per cent of the time the air quality was at moderate risk to health.

These poor air quality readings were almost entirely due to high levels of fine particulate matter due to wildfire smoke, the report adds.

Air quality is normally quite good in the Fort Air Partnership region. Even this period saw low risk to health air quality conditions 76 per cent of the time.

This spring also saw significant wildfire smoke, and the air quality was at high risk or very high risk to health 5.3 per cent of the time.

The Fort Air Partnership is an independent organization that monitors air quality in Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County, Lamont County, Sturgeon County, Thorhild County, and parts of Westlock and Smoky Lake counties.