Canadian wildfire smoke has returned to Minnesota, prompting state officials to issue an air quality alert urging residents across the state to keep their windows closed overnight on Wednesday.
“The upper-level pattern is certainly keeping it in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest,” National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center senior meteorologist Brian Hurley told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Over the past few weeks, wildfire smoke from Canada has descended into the U.S. and worsened the air quality in some states. Among them, Minnesota has been on high alert, with residents advised to monitor themselves for symptoms such as coughs if they are exposed to the polluted air.
Much of the smoke moved out of the region on Tuesday, but is now returning to the area behind a cold front.
What To Know
People in central, southern, southwestern, north-central and west-central Minnesota are affected by the alert.
The presence of smoke could affect sensitive populations such as children, older adults, those with lung disease, asthma and heart disease. People in those risk categories are urged to limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
Officials also asked those in the affected areas to keep their windows closed overnight Wednesday to help prevent smoke from entering homes.
Environmental officials also asked people across Minnesota to reduce or eliminate activities that could worsen the ongoing air pollution, like outdoor burning.
“Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible,” the alert also said.
As of Wednesday evening, air quality alerts also were issued in Montana, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
What People Are Saying
Hurley also told Newsweek: “[The air quality alert in Minnesota] is only going through midnight Thursday, but I do wonder if they are going to see it go on a little longer.”
An air quality alert issued for Minnesota: “Smoke from wildfires in northwest Canada has moved into west central Minnesota behind a cold front. This smoke is beginning to mix to the ground and fine particle levels have climbed into the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups AQI category across central and southern Minnesota. This smoke will linger along a frontal boundary that will stall over the southern part of the state. Rainfall is expected across this same region through Thursday and this may help reduce smoke levels in some areas. However, it’s possible this smoke may linger through the end of the day on Thursday.”
What Happens Next
Smoke could persist through Friday. It’s also possible the smoke will continue worsening air quality for the immediate future depending on weather patterns, wind direction and how long the fires burn.
The post People Urged to Keep Windows Closed Overnight Wednesday in One State appeared first on Newsweek.
