The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is out with its annual air quality and wildfire forecast for the upcoming Summer months.
MPCA Air Quality Forecaster Nick Witcraft says one area of improvement is drought conditions have improved since last year's dry summer.
"We're actually sitting a little bit better. 2% of the state is in drought, currently. Last year it was sitting almost at 10%. But however you look at it, the "abnormally dry" area is pretty similar," said Witcraft.
Witcraft says the abnormally dry areas are in northern Minnesota's Lake County, and in extreme southern Minnesota.
While the MPCA is predicting less drought overall in the state this summer, Witcraft says we will be impacted by what is expected to be an active wildfire season.
"There may be an above-normal season in Canada, which means we'll probably see a few days with impactful smoke. Hopefully not as impactful as last season, but we can expect a few days with smoke. And of course with the dryness in the western U-S, we will see smoke make it over Minnesota, but that smoke tends to stay aloft," said Witcraft.
