Canadian wildfire smoke triggers air quality warning for Minnesota

Smoke from Canadian wildfires was predicted to spread across the state on Sunday, prompting the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to issue a statewide air quality warning.

The agency said a cold front brought wildfire smoke from fires in northeastern British Columbia.

As of midday Sunday, air quality in the Bemidji area was considered “very unhealthy,” with most of northwest Minnesota in the “unhealthy” category. The entire state was expected to reach “unhealthy” levels throughout the day. This is a value at which the fine dust content in the air is considered harmful to everyone’s health. The MPCA said sensitive groups should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion and everyone should limit outdoor exertion and time spent outdoors.

“The entire state will be affected by this smoke,” the MPCA said in its warning.

According to the MPCA, the smoke was expected to move from north to south throughout the day and its impact would be greatest for each region at the following times:

• Northern Minnesota – through Sunday, 5 p.m.
• Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities – 5:00 p.m. Sunday through night.
• Southern Minnesota – 7 p.m. Sunday through night.

The MPCA’s air quality forecast shows air quality improving in northeastern Minnesota on Monday, with most of the region in the “good” air quality category, while the rest of the state will reach “good” air quality by Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in Duluth said the smoke would reach the ground thanks to “deep mixing” behind a cold front moving through the region.

The Iron Range and Superior National Forest were blanketed in smoke from Canada, prompting some to call 911.

“If you notice a large amount of smoke in the air, it is most likely due to the fires currently burning in Canada,” Ely police said in a Facebook post Sunday morning. “Several emergency calls were received from throughout the northern portion of the county and no active fires associated with the smoke have been identified to date.”

Air quality is determined by hourly measurements of particulate matter, ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide.

Last year there were 52 air quality alert days in the state, 16 of which were due to wildfire smoke and nine days that reached the highest air quality index warning, meaning the air is dangerous for everyone.

State officials predicted last week that it won’t be as bad this year, but that residents should expect more air quality warnings than normal. While wildfires may play a smaller role, slightly above normal temperatures are expected to trap gases, such as in vehicle exhaust, closer to Earth.