ARTICLE AD BOX
Much of Minnesota woke up Tuesday to a thick blanket of haze as the sight and smell of smoke from Canadian wildfires continued spreading across the state.
Air quality readings early Tuesday were in the “red” and “purple” categories — meaning “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy” — across most of eastern Minnesota, including Duluth, the Twin Cities, St. Cloud and Mankato.
Under those conditions, people should limit time spent outdoors and limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
The MPCA posts current air quality conditions on its website.
The additional wave of smoke from major wildfires across Manitoba and Saskatchewan is sweeping across Minnesota on northerly winds behind the cold front that triggered showers and storms in the region on Monday.
Rain continued for parts of Minnesota on Tuesday. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency forecasters said the rain “has the potential to help clean the air, but is not expected to altogether eliminate poor air quality.”
An air quality alert continues for Minnesota, extending into western Wisconsin, through noon Wednesday.
The MPCA said conditions are expected to gradually improve across the state, from northwest to southeast, later Tuesday into Wednesday.
The MPCA said forecast models indicate the smoke may stay near, or north of, the Canadian border later this week.
Air quality index
Maroon is the most-serious category of the six levels of the air quality index, followed by purple (very unhealthy), red (unhealthy), orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups), yellow (moderate) and green (good).
English (US) ·