Air quality alert issued for central, southern MN for wildfire smoke from Canada

Air quality alert: How to help your pets

Air quality alerts from wildfires burning in Canada continue to impact parts of the U.S. It's not just humans impacted by the smoky air, our pets can feel the effects too. Dr. Eric Ruhland from the St. Paul Pet Hospital shares useful advice on how pet owners can navigate future air quality alerts that might pop up throughout the summer.

(FOX 9) - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for a wide range of central and southern Minnesota due to the continuing wildfires in Canada.

Air quality alert in Minnesota

What we know:

The MPCA warns that smoke from wildfires in northwest Canada have moved into central and southern Minnesota behind a cold front, while fine particle levels have climbed to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.

The affected areas include:

• Twin Cities metro area
• Brainerd
• Alexandria
• Albert Lea
• Marshall
• Worthington
• Hinckley
• St. Cloud
• Ortonville
• Mankato
• Moorhead
• Duluth
• The Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and Fond du Lac.

What to expect:

Minnesotans can expect to see a hazy sky, and smell smoke in the air, MPCA says.

For sensitive groups, like people with asthma, COPD, heart disease, children, older adults and pregnant people, being outside during the alert could impact their health.

What you can do:

The MPCA is urging people to reduce activities that contribute to poor air quality, like fires, reducing vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible.

To keep up to date on current air quality conditions, click here.