Serious forest fires continued to burn in Alberta and Saskatchewan late Tuesday.

About 125 people were evacuated from Montreal Lake, Sask., to Prince Albert late Monday, as a fire destroyed two homes and four pieces of heavy equipment.

Waterbombers, including some from Manitoba, are fighting the fire, but their work has been hindered by the ice still covering the lakes. About 500 hectares of forest have been destroyed.

Edmonton was under a cloud of smoke Tuesday from fires hundreds of kilometres away. The smoke drifted as far south as Calgary.

The House River fire, south of Fort McMurray, Alta., is being fought by more than 28 helicopters and 335 firefighters. The most serious of the Alberta fires, it has consumed about 700 hectares of forest.

Smoke from the fire forced the closure of Highway 63, the only paved route linking the city with the rest of the province. It reopened early Tuesday, but may be closed again if the fire threatens it.

The Smoky Lake fire, about 100 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, forced some people to leave their homes over the weekend, but they have been allowed to return.