Minnesotans will get their first whiff of Canadian wildfire smoke this spring after several fires developed across eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba on Thursday afternoon.
A brief period of dense smoke is expected to move across the state from the northwest to the southeast along a cold front, severely degrading air quality.
The National Weather Service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, said the smoke will likely linger anywhere from two to five hours in any one location, reaching central Minnesota by about 1 p.m.
"Consider altering outdoor plans during the period of thickest smoke," the weather service stated.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reported an air quality alert was not anticipated due to the short window of time the smoke would be present.
The air sensor in Winnipeg showed just how quickly and dramatically the smoke affected air quality early Friday morning, going from "Good" to "Very Unhealthy" and back to "Good" in about two hours, the MPCA shared.
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Plus: First year of free tuition program in Minnesota exceeds enrollment expectations; and a large apartment complex is in the works in housing-starved Brainerd. -
Plus: Bemidji area residents comment in the second and final hearing in the administrative trial for the boundary dispute between Bemidji and Northern Township.
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Contributed/Bemidji Public LibraryThe KAXE news team has been covering cuts to libraries in our region. This week, we have been gathering stories about what libraries mean to you. -
Chelsey Perkins/KAXEWithout the funding, residents’ water bills could increase from about $40 a month to nearly $70. The projected costs for the new facility have risen substantially. -
Lorie Shaull/Special to KAXEThe lawsuit states Robert Slaybaugh was placed in a cell with a sheet and a bunk previously ID'd as a suicide hazard, despite an “overwhelming combination of risk factors.” -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe second and final public comment evening for the boundary dispute trial heard a broad mix of comments from affected residents along Lake Bemidji. -
Contributed/Lorie ShaullDuring the Phenology Report for the week of Oct. 7, Staff Phenologist John Latimer covers the next month in nature, development of fall colors, and migratory dragonflies. -
Events this week include a story slam in Bemidji, an Indigenous People's Day event in Brainerd and a fundraiser for a dog park in Deer River. -
Contributed/Minnesota Incident Command SystemThe fire has been mapped at 160 acres. A predicted change in weather calls for increased and shifting winds, creating a potential to push the fire toward the trail. -
Plus: The Minnesota Department of Human Rights announced it secured two settlements against northern Minnesota employers for sex discrimination; and the US Small Business Administration is operating a disaster loan outreach center through Oct. 18 in Bemidji for those impacted by the June 21 severe storms.
