Air Quality Alert for NW Minnesota

What's happening?

An air quality alert has been issued for northwest Minnesota until 10 a.m. Thursday, April 13.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issued the alert due to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air.

PM2.5 is a type of air pollution that can cause health problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory issues.

Who is affected?

The air quality alert is in effect for the following counties:

• Beltrami
• Clearwater
• Kittson
• Lake of the Woods
• Marshall
• Pennington
• Polk
• Red Lake
• Roseau

What should you do?

The MPCA recommends that people take the following steps to protect their health during the air quality alert:

• Limit time spent outdoors, especially during the morning and evening hours when pollution levels are highest.
• If you must be outdoors, wear a mask to protect your lungs.
• Keep windows and doors closed to prevent outside air from coming in.
• Use an air purifier to remove pollutants from the air inside your home.

For more information:

Visit the MPCA's website: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/current-air-quality