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...North central, northwest, northeast, and east central
Minnesota.
* WHEN...From 6 AM CDT Tuesday to 11 PM CDT Wednesday.
* 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...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.