After major fires here in the state and Canada set a record for air quality alerts in 2023, state officials are giving an update about what to expect this season and what that means for Minnesota's air quality.
MPCA Meteorologist Matt Taraldsen says although it will still be considered an above average season, it won't match the severity of 2023.
"Above seven alerts this year, which is above average," Taraldsen says. "But we have increasing confidence that the season is not going to be as catastrophic as 2023. At this point, last year in 2023, we already had fires raging in Canada."
Taraldsen says the state has come up with new strategies to bring down pollutants on more serve days. For example, a new alert system will tell people to reduce their trips, especially on what they describe as "ozone days".
"Beyond what happened last year, the biggest source is likely car exhaust in the state," Taraldsen explains. "So when we tell people to reduce their trips, especially on ozone days, and ozone is something you can't smell or see, that's why we say it. It reduces the amount of those precursors that will then form ozone. And so if you can reduce your trips, you cut down on that and that actually does help."
Taraldsen also adds that after last year, it's even more important to be paying attention to air quality alerts and to keep vulnerable populations informed.