AREAS AFFECTED : KOOCHICHING; NORTH ST. LOUIS; NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE; NORTH ITASCA; CENTRAL ST. LOUIS; SOUTHERN LAKE/NORTH SHORE; SOUTHERN COOK/NORTH SHORE; NORTH CASS; SOUTH ITASCA; SOUTH CASS; CROW WING; NORTHERN AITKIN; SOUTH AITKIN; CARLTON/SOUTH ST. LOUIS; PINE
* 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 Red or Unhealthy category.
* WHERE...West central, east central, central, south central,
southeast, north central, northwest, southwest, and northeast
Minnesota.
* WHEN...Until 5 PM CDT Saturday.
* IMPACTS...Some members of the general public may experience
health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung
disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and
older adults, may experience health effects.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Northerly winds will continue transporting
waves of heavy surface smoke from wildfires across Manitoba and
Saskatchewan into Minnesota. Smoke will move south across all
of Minnesota and linger through Saturday afternoon. The smoke
will be reinforced by an area of high pressure that will create
light winds and limit the dispersion of smoke. Therefore the air
quality alert has been expanded to include all of Minnesota and
extended until Saturday afternoon when the air quality is
forecasted to improve.