Air quality alert issued for northern and central Minnesota until Wednesday

An air quality alert has been issued for northern and central Minnesota from 6 a.m. Tuesday until noon on Wednesday, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The areas affected include Brainerd, Alexandria, Hinckley, Ortonville, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, International Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Red Lake, Grand Portage and Fond du Lac.

The alert is due to the heavy ground-level smoke from the wildfires in northern Canada.

The air quality index will reach the orange category, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

For more information on the alert, click here.