Wildfire smoke sets off air-quality alert for northern Minnesota

An air-quality alert was in effect across parts of northern Minnesota on Friday evening, and the unhealthy outdoor conditions will move east across the northern part of the state and last through Monday.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in a news release Friday that heavy ground-level smoke from wildfires is expected to move across the Red River Valley and span all the way to Lake Superior.

The affected areas include East Grand Forks and Moorhead, Bemidji and east toward Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely and Duluth. International Falls, Roseau and the tribal nations of Leech Lake, Red Lake, Grand Portage, Mille Lacs, and Fond du Lac are also in the alert.

The Fargo/Moorhead area was affected around 6 p.m. Friday and the pollution will move into northern Minnesota by Saturday afternoon. The MPCA said that red air quality — a level considered unhealthy for everyone — may improve to orange Saturday. The alert area could also expand as northerly winds behind a strong low-pressure system pull smoke south.

By Friday evening, the MPCA updated the alert to orange, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.