Air quality alert continues through Wednesday, northwest Minnesota warned of 'hazardous' air
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An air quality alert for all of Minnesota has been extended through midday Wednesday, as more — and more-intense — rounds of smoke from Canadian wildfires are forecast to move across the region.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said air quality may reach the maroon category in northwest Minnesota. That means “hazardous” air quality, in which “everyone should avoid any outdoor activity and stay indoors,” the MPCA reported.
The MPCA posts current air quality conditions on its website.
Maroon is the most-serious category of the six levels of the air quality index, followed by purple (very unhealthy), red (unhealthy), orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups), yellow (moderate) and green (good).
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In addition to the potential maroon / hazardous conditions across far northwest Minnesota, the MPCA said purple air quality is possible for Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Brainerd, Bemidji, Grand Rapids and International Falls. Under those conditions, “everyone should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and stay indoors,” the agency reported.
Red air quality is possible for much of the rest of the state, including the Twin Cities, Mankato, Willmar, St. Cloud, Duluth, the Iron Range and the North Shore. The MPCA said red conditions mean everyone “should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors.”
The additional smoke from major wildfires across Manitoba and Saskatchewan is sweeping across Minnesota with a cold front.
“The smoke will reach central and northeast Minnesota on Monday evening and southeast Minnesota early Tuesday morning,” the MPCA reported. “Precipitation is expected across northern and central Minnesota Monday afternoon and evening but may not help improve air quality much. Smoke will clear northwest Minnesota early Tuesday morning and air quality will begin to improve from northwest to southeast from Tuesday through Wednesday morning.”
Beyond the next few days, MPR News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard said that Minnesota may be in for on-and-off smoky skies — similar to some recent summers — because of the size and scope of fires burning in Canada due to warm, dry conditions there.
