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News release

June 2, 2025

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MPCA meteorologists, 651-757-2766, aqi.pca@state.mn.us

Air quality alert due to wildfire smoke continues through Wednesday, June 4, for southern, central, north central, and northeast Minnesota

Map showing active air quality alert in the red category for east central, southeast, and northeast Minnesota, and in the orange category for western, central, and north central Minnesota. The alert runs until noon on Wednesday, June 4.

Air quality is expected to reach the red AQI category in east central, southeast, and northeast Minnesota, which is unhealthy for everyone.

The air quality alert issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) remains in effect until noon on Wednesday, June 4. The affected area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Mankato, International Falls, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, Red Lake, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac. Northwest Minnesota is no longer in the alert.

A band of very heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to move southeast across Minnesota and has reached south central and northeast Minnesota Tuesday morning. Measured fine particle levels will be highest Tuesday morning from the Twin Cities to Rochester. Air quality may reach the Purple (Very Unhealthy) air quality index (AQI) category for a few hours Tuesday morning. Air quality will worsen across southeast Minnesota Tuesday as the smoke reaches the corner of the state. As the smoke continues to move across the state Tuesday, air quality will slowly improve from northwest to southeast for the remainder of the alert area. The smoke is expected to leave the state by Wednesday at noon.

East central, southeast, and northeast Minnesota: Fine particle levels are expected to reach the red air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered unhealthy for everyone. This area includes the Twin Cities metro, Albert Lea, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Mankato, Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, and the Tribal Nations of Prairie Island, Mille Lacs, Upper Sioux, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac. In the red area, sensitive groups should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors. Everyone should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors. 

Western, central, and north central Minnesota: Fine particle levels are expected to reach the orange air quality index (AQI) category, a level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. This area includes Brainerd, Alexandria, Marshall, Worthington, International Falls, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, and Red Lake. In the orange area, sensitive groups should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and time spent outdoors.

Air alert wood smoke-red and orange

What this alert means

Air moves long distances and carries pollutants. During air quality alerts due to wildfires, the air is mixed with harmful smoke. Wildfire smoke spreads or lingers depending on the size of the fires, the wind, and the weather.

The air quality index (AQI) is color-coded. Air quality alerts are issued when the AQI is forecast to reach an unhealthy level, which includes forecasts in the orange, red, purple, and maroon categories. For a full description of each air quality category, visit airnow.gov.

Red air quality: Unhealthy

Sights and smells: In areas where air quality is in the red AQI category due to wildfires, the sky may look smoky. The air will look hazy, and you won’t be able to see long distances. You may smell smoke.

Health effects: This air is unhealthy for everyone. Anyone may begin to experience symptoms such as irritated eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. Sensitive or more exposed individuals may experience more serious health effects, including worsening of existing heart or lung disease and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, possibly leading to an asthma attack, heart attack, or stroke.

What to do: Reduce outdoor physical activities, take more breaks, and avoid intense activities to reduce exposure. Sensitive and more exposed individuals should avoid prolonged or vigorous activities and consider shortening, rescheduling, or moving outdoor events inside.

Orange air quality: Unhealthy for sensitive groups

Sights and smells: In areas where air quality is in the orange AQI category due to wildfires, the sky may look hazy and residents may smell smoke even when wildfires are far away.

Health effects: This air is unhealthy for sensitive groups and pollution may aggravate heart and lung disease as well as cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and fatigue.

What to do: People in sensitive groups are encouraged to reduce outdoor physical activities, take more breaks, or do less intense activities to reduce their exposure. People with asthma should follow their asthma action plan and keep their rescue inhaler nearby.

Who is most at risk

Poor air quality impacts health. Fine particle pollution from wildfire smoke can irritate eyes, nose, and throat, and cause coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fatigue. Smoke particles are small enough that they can be breathed deeply into lungs and enter the bloodstream. This can lead to illnesses such as bronchitis or aggravate existing chronic heart and lung diseases, triggering heart palpitations, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes.

Certain groups experience health effects from unhealthy air quality sooner than others, either because they are more sensitive to fine particle pollution or because they are exposed to larger amounts of it.

Sensitive groups include:

  • People who have asthma or other breathing conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • People who have heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
  • Pregnant people.
  • Children and older adults.

People with increased exposure include:

  • People of all ages who do longer or more vigorous physical activity outdoors.
    • People who work outdoors, especially workers who do heavy manual labor.
    • People who exercise or play sports outdoors, including children.
  • People who don’t have air conditioning and need to keep windows open to stay cool.
  • People in housing not tight enough to keep unhealthy air out, or who do not have permanent shelter.

Anyone experiencing health effects related to poor air quality should contact their health care provider. Those with severe symptoms, chest pain, trouble breathing, or who fear they may be experiencing a heart attack or stroke should call 911 immediately.

Take precautions

Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible.

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