AREAS AFFECTED : TRAVERSE; BIG STONE
* WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air
Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index
(AQI) is expected to reach the Orange or Unhealthy for Sensitive
Groups category.
* WHERE...Central, east central, west central, north central, and
northwest Minnesota.
* WHEN...From 6 AM CDT Tuesday to 11 PM CDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease
(including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may
experience health effects.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Northwesterly winds will transport heavy
surface smoke from wildfires across Manitoba and Saskatchewan into
northern Minnesota, beginning Tuesday morning. Smoke will spread
south into central Minnesota through the day Tuesday, and may
continue into southern Minnesota overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.
Therefore, the air quality alert may need to be expanded further
south into southern Minnesota. High pressure will blanket much of the
region from Wednesday through Friday, which will result in light
winds and poor dispersion of smoke. Therefore, the alert may need to
be extended further in time as well.