The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an updated air quality alert showing conditions worsening in the Twin Cities and especially across northern Minnesota.
Several counties in the metro are now in the very unhealthy, or "purple" category. That is in effect until late Friday morning.
And the region showing hazardous air quality has been expanded to include areas just north of the Twin Cities metro, and farther into north central Minnesota. Those areas are in "maroon," which is hazardous air, and the highest designation the MPCA gives.
Forecasters also saying the heat will exacerbate health impacts during the poor air quality and that the alert may need to be extended for parts of the state beyond Friday morning.
Very heavy smoke from large wildfires across the Arrowhead and southern Canada will continue spreading south through central, northwest, and portions of southeastern Minnesota through Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning.
Existing smoke and additional rounds of heavy smoke will then remain possible across the alert area through Friday morning, when a cold front is forecast to bring in cleaner air.
Heat will exacerbate health impacts during periods of poor air quality. The MPCA says the alert may need to be extended for parts of the state beyond Friday morning.
Much of Minnesota including the Twin Cities is still under an Extreme Heat Warning through Friday evening with temperatures remaining well into the 90s for highs.
High levels of fine particulate matter in the air from wildfire smoke may be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children and people with heart or lung conditions. The particulates can cause shortness of breath, coughing, dizziness or fatigue and aggravate heart and lung diseases and other chronic health issues.
Experts suggest wearing a N95 mask if you have to be outside and keeping your indoor air cleaner by closing windows and running an air purifier or air conditioner.
The maroon has expanded, and the purple has drifted well into the Twin Cities and western Minnesota in the latest update on the air quality across the state.
(Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)
In Minnesota, officials warned large fires could burn for months. Superior National Forest Fire Management Officer Nick Petrack says there were a thousand lightening strikes during a storm in June, setting off small fires that have burned deep into the ground.
"Oftentimes when it gets really dry, the fire will come down and then kind of burn in the duff before it comes back and reaches the surface," says Petrack. "So your needle litter, your grasses, that's what's carrying the fire for the most part."
He also said they hope to bring on hundreds of new crews in the coming days.
“It could well be we’re having significant fires throughout the summer until we have snow. Snow would be a good thing,” said Patty Thielen, director of the state Department of Natural Resources.
Officials in Michigan and Wisconsin warned residents about air quality issues that could last for days and the problems extended even to Maine, where residents were reporting a yellowish and brownish color in the sky.
