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 Red or Unhealthy category.

* WHERE...East central, southeast, south central, and northeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy smoke from wildfires will persist across northeast Minnesota tonight into Sunday morning. Increasing southwesterly winds Sunday afternoon will lead to improved air quality for much of northeast Minnesota, though near the wildfires and near the shores of Lake Superior may continue to experience poor air quality through the Sunday afternoon. The alert for this part of the state is currently set to expire at 7 pm Sunday. Only localized poor air quality near the wildfires will continue thereafter. Heavy smoke is expected to then enter southeastern and far east central Minnesota from the east early Sunday morning and persist through Monday morning. Red, meaning unhealthy for everyone, is the expected AQI category for all of this alert.