Air Quality Alert Issued for Central, Northern Minnesota

UNDATED (WJON News) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for central, north-central, and northwest Minnesota.

The alert runs until 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday. The affected area includes Brainerd, St. Cloud, Bemidji, International Falls, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, and Red Lake.

Smoke from numerous wildfires across the Saskatchewan province in Canada has been pulled into portions of northern and central Minnesota by northerly winds.

High pressure will move into the region and will produce very light winds on Monday. This airmass has become stagnant and heavy ground-level smoke will linger across the northern half of the state for the remainder of the day on Monday.

Air quality is expected reach the Red (Unhealthy) AQI category across north central Minnesota. Air quality will reach the Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) AQI category for the remainder of the alert area.