MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A weekend air quality alert has been issued for much of Minnesota, with health officials warning that ozone pollution could pose risks for residents.

Air quality alert covers majority of MN

What we know:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an alert for western and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Ortonville, Mankato, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and White Earth.

The alert runs from noon Saturday, June 6, through 11 p.m. Sunday, June 7. Ozone levels are expected to reach the orange AQI category, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

High ozone levels are expected during Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with conditions improving after sunset and again Sunday morning before rising in the afternoon.

Health officials recommend moving outdoor activities outside the afternoon hours to reduce exposure.

Why you should care:

Unhealthy ozone levels can aggravate lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, and COPD. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, throat soreness, wheezing, coughing, or unusual fatigue.

People at higher risk include those with asthma or other breathing conditions, children, teenagers, people doing heavy outdoor activity, and some healthy individuals who are more sensitive to ozone.

Precautions and pollution reduction tips

What you can do:

Everyone should take precautions when air quality is unhealthy. Limit or postpone physical activity, avoid busy roads and wood fires, and keep relief inhalers handy if you have breathing conditions.

To help reduce ozone pollution, officials suggest reducing vehicle trips, filling up gas tanks at dawn or dusk, using public transportation or carpooling, postponing use of gas-powered lawn equipment, and avoiding backyard fires.

Ozone is produced on hot, sunny days when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight. The current weather forecast of mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures, and low humidity is creating ideal conditions for higher ozone levels across the region.

The City of Minneapolis has announced a coordinated Summer Safety Plan outlining how the city’s community safety network will work together throughout the summer to prevent violence, respond to emergencies, and keep residents and visitors safe during one of the city’s busiest seasons.

Operation Safe Summer

The plan kicks off with Operation Safe Summer, a multi-agency enforcement initiative led by the Minneapolis Police Department now in its fifth year. Running June 1 through 6, the operation targets individuals known to regularly engage in violent crime and has historically resulted in dozens of arrests, the recovery of numerous firearms, and significant seizures of illegal narcotics.

Partner agencies include the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, Metro Transit Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Plymouth Police Department.

Prevention and Community at the Center

Beyond enforcement, the city’s summer safety strategy prioritizes prevention and community engagement, covering violence prevention, emergency preparedness, youth engagement, and water and weather safety education through expanded community outreach.

The plan also includes public safety coordination for major summer events including Pride, Taste of Minnesota, Aquatennial, the U.S. Special Olympics, WWE SummerSlam, and Open Streets events across the city.

June is also Gun Violence Awareness Month, and the city is spotlighting coordinated efforts to reduce firearm violence through enforcement, public messaging, safe gun storage education, and community-based intervention programs. New this summer is the Firearm Assault Shoot Team, along with continued work from the Violent Crime Apprehension Team and weekend Curfew Task Force operations.

Officers not normally assigned to patrol will participate in bike, foot, and mounted patrols on weekends throughout the summer in neighborhoods with the greatest need, adding 30 more officers to the street without increased overtime costs.

Progress the City Is Pointing To

The city cited several data points reflecting recent progress on public safety. According to the city’s Crime Dashboard, three-year averages for most violent crimes are down more than 20 percent, with carjackings down nearly 40 percent. Shots-fired calls are less than half what they were five years ago, and non-fatal shootings have dropped 56 percent, from 582 in 2021 to 255 in 2025.

“We are making meaningful progress,” the city said in a statement. “But one crime is one too many.”

Safety Beyond Policing

The Neighborhood Safety Department will expand visibility and outreach through its Community Safety Ambassadors, MinneapolUS violence interruption teams, and community-based partnerships. Updated service maps and community outreach zones expand the department’s coverage areas this summer.

The Minneapolis Fire Department is enhancing water-rescue readiness with specialized boats positioned throughout the city and training in swift-water rescue operations, while also preparing public education campaigns on life jacket use, fireworks safety, grilling safety, and heat-related illness prevention.

The Emergency Management Department is coordinating severe weather preparedness messaging, and the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center is increasing staffing during high-demand summer months and major events.

For more information on summer safety events, tips, and resources, visit the City of Minneapolis website and follow official city social media channels throughout the summer.

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