Minnesota issues air quality alert as smoke from Canada blows out of North Dakota

MOORHEAD — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is issuing an air quality alert for northern and central Minnesota from 6 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, through noon Wednesday, Aug. 9.

Heavy, ground-level smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to drift out of central North Dakota toward Minnesota, reaching the northwest part of the state by 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, or MPCA, said in a release. The smoke is expected to reach northeast Minnesota by 3 p.m. Tuesday, and the wind will push the smoke south early Wednesday.

Affected cities include Brainerd, Alexandria, Hinckley, Ortonville, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, International Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Red Lake, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac, according to the release.

Air quality is slated to reach the orange category, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as people who have breathing conditions, heart disease, or diabetes, as well as pregnant people and older adults, the MPCA said.

Air quality is expected to improve from north to south Wednesday afternoon, the release said.

More information is available at the MPCA’s Air Quality Index webpage,

www.pca.state.mn.us/air-water-land-climate/current-air-quality-conditions.

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