Minnesota Breaks Record For Air Quality Alerts As Wildfire Smoke Continues

ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota reached a new record Tuesday for most air quality alerts in a single year as smoke from Canadian wildfires continued across the state.

Minnesota has now had 23 air quality alerts in 2023, beating the previous record of 21 in 2021, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which noted the state typically averages two or three alerts per season.

The agency’s latest alert was effective from Tuesday to midnight Thursday for southern, east central and northeast Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area. The alert warned of an orange air quality index of 100-150, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

However, by midday Tuesday, the index was in the unhealthy red zone of 150-200 across much of Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to authorities.

“Smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Quebec moved into eastern and southern Minn. late Monday, and ground-level smoke has persisted through early Tuesday morning,” the alert said.

Smoke is expected to linger Tuesday, with additional smoke in Wisconsin recirculating into southern Minnesota and persisting Wednesday until a cold front brings clean air from the west, according to the alert.

Possible showers and thunderstorms are also in the forecast overnight and throughout the day Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.