As wildfire smoke lingers in Fargo-Moorhead, state officials urge caution

FARGO — Canadian wildfires are creating smoky conditions across North Dakota and northern Minnesota, creating unhealthy air quality in the region.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) on Wednesday, May 17, issued an air quality alert for northwest and north central Minnesota, including Moorhead. The alert takes effect at 10 p.m. Wednesday and runs until noon Thursday.

“Air quality is expected to reach the red AQI (air quality index) category in northwest Minnesota, which is unhealthy for everyone,” a release from the MPCA said. Everyone should avoid prolonged time outdoors during this time, the release added.

A band of heavy ground level smoke from fires in Alberta and Saskatchewan in northwestern Canada is currently moving southeast and a strong cold front will pull the smoke south towards northwest Minnesota, the MPCA said.

Smokey conditions in the Fargo-Moorhead area are expected to last from this afternoon into tomorrow, according to Carl Jones from the National Weather Service. Conditions could resolve by Friday, he added.

Smoke in North Dakota will increase in coverage and density as the front moves into the region this afternoon, a statement from the National Weather Service said. Smoke will eventually reduce visibility to “as low as a one quarter mile at times across parts of eastern North Dakota this afternoon through tonight,” the weather service said.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality said “extremely small particles of ash and soot, or particulate matter, have been increasing over the last few hours across northwestern North Dakota.”

Particulate matter can irritate the respiratory system, especially for those with preexisting respiratory conditions.

“Environmental Quality advises people with respiratory conditions, the elderly and young children to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure,” the release said.

A majority of the smoke impact seems to be concentrated in the northwestern part of the state and is moving southwest ahead of the weather front, the release noted.