Air quality alerts spread across Minnesota as fires rage, sending smoke south

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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s West Duluth air quality monitor measured a new state record for wildfire smoke concentration Wednesday morning.

The preliminary reading of 600.1 is the highest hourly fine particle concentrations from wildfire smoke measured by monitors in Minnesota since 2014, according to the MPCA.

New records were also set in Grand Portage (576.3) and Duluth (513.3) Wednesday.

An air quality alert remains in effect for much of the state through 11 a.m. Friday.

On Tuesday morning, Grand Portage had the worst air quality in all of America.

The highest hourly fine particle concentration on record in Minnesota is 657 and was set at 10 p.m. on July 4, 2020, in Minneapolis. This was the result of smoke from personal fireworks after municipal firework displays were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and poor atmospheric dispersion.

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Anna Haecherl

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The preliminary reading of 600.1 is the highest hourly fine particle concentrations from wildfire smoke measured by monitors in Minnesota since 2014, according to the MPCA.


New state record set for wildfire smoke concentration near Duluth

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