Air Quality Alert

* WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Purple or Very Unhealthy category.

* WHERE...Northeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...From 7 AM CDT Tuesday to 11 AM CDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS...The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy smoke from several large wildfires across northeast Minnesota and Canada will move south behind a frontal boundary across much of northeast Minnesota beginning on Tuesday. High temperatures will be in the 90s across the alert area Tuesday, and the combination of wildfire smoke and extreme heat amplifies health risks. Heavy smoke may move further south into Minnesota Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, so the air quality alert may need to be expanded. Additional rounds of heavy smoke are possible across the region through at least Thursday morning.