* WHAT. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category. * WHERE. West central, east central, central, south central, southeast, north central, northwest, southwest, and northeast Minnesota. * WHEN. Until 5 PM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS. Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS. Northerly winds will continue transporting waves of heavy surface smoke from wildfires across Manitoba and Saskatchewan into Minnesota. Smoke will move south across all of Minnesota and linger through Saturday afternoon. The smoke will be reinforced by an area of high pressure that will create light winds and limit the dispersion of smoke. Therefore the air quality alert has been expanded to include all of Minnesota and extended until Saturday afternoon when the air quality is forecasted to improve.
