Hazardous air has blanketed much of the state as wildfires continue to rage in northern Minnesota and southern Canada.
As of Wednesday, Superior National Forest had 15 active wildfires, including four active fires inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), according to the Incident Information System website.
Canada is experiencing similar fire activity and multiple fires have crossed the border from Canada.
The BWCAW has been closed to the public since Tuesday and will remain so until the fires are contained.
Heavy smoke from the fires began spreading south through central, northwest, and portions of southeastern Minnesota Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning.
Additional rounds of heavy smoke are possible through Friday morning, when a cold front is forecast to bring in cleaner air, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) said.
MPCA has issued an air quality alert for east central, central, west central, southeast, north central, northwest, and northeast Minnesota. The alert took effect at 2 p.m. Wednesday and will remain in effect until 11 a.m. on Friday, possibly longer for some parts of the state.
“Fine particle levels are expected to reach the maroon air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered hazardous for everyone, across east central, central, southeast, south central, west central, north central, and northeast Minnesota,” MPCA said.
This area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, and the tribal nations of Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac.
“Hourly observations have already surpassed previous records for the Twin Cities,” MPCA said.
Everyone in the maroon area should avoid any outdoor activity and stay indoors, according to MPCA.
In areas where the air quality is in the maroon AQI category, most people will have irritated eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.
“Anyone could experience serious heart and lung effects such as asthma attack, heart attack, or stroke,” MPCA said.
The air quality is considered “very unhealthy” in areas such as Alexandria, Bemidji, and International Falls, and “unhealthy” for places such as Rochester, Winona, Mankato, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, and Roseau.
Readers can find up-to-date air quality conditions here.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
