Expanded air quality alert for Wednesday, July 14, through Friday, July 16, in northern Minnesota to include the Duluth metropolitan area, Carlton County and Pine CountyThe Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for northern Minnesota, effective Wednesday, July 14, through Friday, July 16, at 9 a.m. The affected area includes Duluth, Cloquet, Hinckley, Ely, Hibbing, International Falls, Two Harbors, Grand Marais, Grand Portage, Bemidji, Roseau, Moorhead, East Grand Forks, Brainerd, Alexandria and the tribal areas of Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and Red Lake. Smoke from wildfires located north of the Canadian border in Ontario and Manitoba will be transported by northerly winds behind a front moving into the northern portions of the state. Heavy smoke is expected to arrive Tuesday and remain over the area into Friday morning. During this time, fine particle levels are expected to be in the Red AQI category, a level considered unhealthy for all individuals, across far northern and western Minnesota and Orange, a level that is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, across central Minnesota. In addition to the smoke behind the front Tuesday, additional smoke is expected over western Minnesota Wednesday evening following a forecasted complex of thunderstorms. The smoke will remain over Minnesota through at least Friday before southerly winds develop and push the smoke northward. People whose health is affected by unhealthy air quality: There are people who are more likely to be affected when ozone pollution reaches an unhealthy level.
Health effects: Unhealthy ozone levels can aggravate lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, and COPD. When the air quality is unhealthy, people with these conditions may experience symptoms like difficulty breathing deeply, shortness of breath, throat soreness, wheezing, coughing, or unusual fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, use your inhalers as directed and contact your health care provider. Take precautions: Everyone should take precautions when the air quality is unhealthy.
Pollution reduction tips: Ozone is produced on hot, sunny days by a chemical reaction between volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen.
For information on current air quality conditions in your area and to sign up for daily air quality forecasts and alert notifications by email, text message, phone, or the Minnesota Air mobile app, visit MPCA's Air Quality Index webpage. You can find additional information about health and indoor and outdoor air quality at Air Quality and Health webpage. |
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Expanded air quality alert for Wednesday, July 14, through Friday, July 16, in northern Minnesota to include the Duluth metropolitan area, Carlton County and Pine County
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