Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

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 the smoke carried down from northerly winds are choking out some summer camp programs in Minnesota.  

“This summer, between the storms and the derechos and the wildfire smoke, it's like you get one or the other,” said Julian McFaul, artistic director and camp coordinator of the Minneapolis day camp 

. “For the first time, I wish we had a 30,000 square foot warehouse somewhere that we could just retreat to."

McFaul said trying to balance the experience of an outdoor summer camp while keeping kids safe is difficult while smoke and storms threaten programming. And although they do have facilities they can fall back on when danger rolls in, they’re not owned by the camp and rely on arrangements made ahead of time.

“We're never 100 percent sure, and what we don’t want to do is cancel camp and not provide that day care option that parents need,” McFaul said. “And yet, sometimes we’re forced to do that.”

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.

Weather and Climate News

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Morning Edition

Disasters

Minnesota Wildfires

On Air

Cathy Wurzer

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Lukas Levin

Author

For one summer camp in Minneapolis, wildfires up north and a succession of severe storms have put coordinators in a tough spot as they try to provide an outdoor day care experience while also keeping campers safe.

Increased wildfire smoke and severe weather hampering some summer camp programs 

A hazy sunrise is seen over a lake with the skyline in the background.

Wild weather, smoky skies put summer camps at risk

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