Sask. NDP leader Cam Broten in northern fire zone

Forest fire smoke may be slowly lifting in Saskatoon, but NDP leader Cam Broten says it's still a soupy sky in the north.

Broten is on a road trip through communities affected by the ragingwildfires. He spoke with Saskatoon Morning host Leisha Grebinski about what he's seeing.

Close calls.

"I spent some time visiting with the chief at Montreal Lake Cree Nation and saw where the fire there had gone right to the edges of homes," he said.

Helicopters with buckets managed to keep the flames at bay.

He tried to take a boat to Sucker River to see the preventative measures taken there, but he had to turn back because of the thick smoke over the lake.

It's hampering fire crews as well.

"Yesterday when we were at the fire base in La Ronge, you saw all the helicopters grounded and the aircraft was grounded because the smoke was so thick."