Air quality alert issued for northwest Minnesota Tuesday
This map highlights the area under an air quality alert for Sept. 5, 2023. (MPCA)
A portion of the northwest part of the state is under an air quality alert Tuesday as more wildfire smoke is expected to come down from Canada.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says the alert is scheduled to run from 6 a.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday for an area stretching from the far northwest corner of the state over to Lake of the Woods County and down to Ortonville.
The MPCA says smoke may move east across southern Minnesota in the overnight hours Tuesday, which could lead to an expanded alert area. Air quality is expected to improve Wednesday.
During the alert period, officials say fine particle levels are likely to reach a level that is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly and anyone with a respiratory illness.
Click here to see the latest air quality conditions.