Grand Forks, North Dakota – Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires that blanketed parts of northern Minnesota on Monday is retreating, bringing improved air quality to the region by Tuesday morning.
According to the U.S. National Weather Service in Grand Forks, major fires burning near La Ronge, Prince Albert, and Nipawin in Saskatchewan, as well as clusters near Flin Flon, Manitoba, sent dense smoke southward behind a cold front. The smoke impacted air quality in northwestern Minnesota, triggering maroon-level alerts from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
As of Tuesday, the smoke plume has shifted and diluted, thanks to a change in upper-level wind patterns. Air quality across Minnesota is expected to improve steadily throughout the day, with no significant return of thick smoke forecast in the near term.
The most active fire zones remain in central Saskatchewan and along the Ontario-Manitoba border east of Lake Winnipeg. Residents in affected Canadian provinces should remain alert for local advisories, while Minnesotans can resume outdoor activities with caution.
More air quality updates are expected from state agencies Tuesday afternoon as conditions continue to stabilize.
