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 Maroon or Hazardous category.

* WHERE...East central Minnesota.

* WHEN...Until 11 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Everyone is likely to be affected by wildfire smoke in these concentrations. Minor trace amounts of ashfall are likely and have been observed with the dense smoke.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... Dense smoke is being pulled by a quasi- stationary front across central Minnesota. AQI values have already been observed in the Maroon/Hazardous concentration and will continue through the alert period. Smoke will gradually retreat northward and disperse, but is expected to remain in alert-level concentrations until at least Friday.