Some smoky summer days are ahead for Minnesota

Minnesota officials are forecasting air quality issues this summer due to wildfire smoke and high ozone levels.

Meteorologists with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said drought conditions are expected to continue throughout the summer in some parts of the state, which contribute to wildfire risk and the formation of ozone. The announcement coincides with National Air Quality Awareness Week.

The agency said conditions this summer will be similar to those seen in 2024, and they're expecting 12 to 16 days of smoky air.

Part of that risk stems from the potential of underground fires from last year to re-emerge this year, according to MPCA meteorologist Matt Taraldsen.

“There is a threat for wildfire in the short term in northwestern Minnesota and then in southern Canada, mainly because the fires that happened in 2025 are still burning underground and may reemerge into the tree canopy in Canada,” said Taraldsen.

He noted a similar reemergence occurred between 2023 and 2024.

Taraldsen said the western U.S. will be the “bull’s-eye” for fire conditions later in the summer, and those usually don’t impact Minnesota. But, the state is monitoring increased fire risk in Canada because smoke from wildfires can contain fine particles that pose health risks, which add up over prolonged exposure.

“We can see irritation in the eyes, lungs and throat, as well as heightened risks of adverse outcomes from heart disease,” said Jessie Carr, an Epidemiologist at Minnesota Department of Health. “We can see asthma attacks and other breathing problems, as well as even premature death, has been linked in the literature."

The hot, sunny weather will also contribute to about four to six days of unhealthy levels of ozone, an odorless and colorless gas that can cause respiratory problems and is linked to increased mortality. Areas with the highest risk include the Twin Cities suburbs and parts of southeastern Minnesota near Rochester.

“Those are the areas that have the highest industry, the highest background concentration of pollutants that can then get converted into ozone,” Taraldsen said.

Officials recommend regularly checking air quality conditions and staying indoors when air quality is poor. Taraldsen added that while masks —particularly KN95 or N95 masks — are an effective way of blocking pollution from wildfire smoke, they actually make the effects of ozone exposure worse.

Minnesotans who want to stay abreast of air quality alerts can sign up for alerts and forecasts on the MPCA’s Air Quality Index web page.

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